Misaki and Itachi Shinden
by MisakiHatake99
Summary: Misaki, five years of age. With the death of her two brothers during the war, the girl makes a resolution: to rid this world of conflict. The meeting of his friend Shisui, then Itachi, Genin, Chūnin, and then Jōnin- Misaki discovers love while racing down the path, unaware of the darkness that awaits... A view of Misaki's past including compilation of short passages
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

 _Five years before Naruto is born (_ _ **5**_ ** _bNb_** _-_ ** _b_** _efore_ ** _N_** _aruto is_ _ **b**_ _orn)_

Kakashi is walking by his father side along the streets of Konoha. Since returning from an important mission he has noticed that his father has become depressed. This mission has caused the nation and the village to suffer a great loss because Sakumo chose to save his comrades rather than complete the mission.

In the last days, his father, Sakumo, had said very few words, barely eating or sleeping due to the constant nightmares he had when going to sleep.

"Sakumo-san!" Sora, the wife of Ogata, one of the captains leading the war, called out to with a smile on her face. In her belly, a life was growing. For some reason, Kakashi thought it was a girl.

"Sora, it's been a while." Sakumo greeted her seeming to cheer him up a little. "I see it's almost time." He added after noticing Sora's big bump.

"It is. After having two sons, I believe my next child will be a girl. I can't wait to meet to meet her. Even at this time of war, there's always life blooming. Life is always beautiful*".

"Indeed. My wife and I were trying for a girl before she passed." Sakumo said before a dark cloud seemed to hover over him.

"I heard the village talk about your last mission. Please don't let it get to you. I know you weren't a coward for what you did. You were a hero to all those comrades you saved, even if they don't see it yet." Sora tried to comfort him.

"I'm trying…" Sakumo told her before turning away. Kakashi watched him walked away then looked back at Sora. She was the mother of Tetsuya, eight, who was in his same class at the academy, and Jiro, Tetsuya's younger brother by two years. Sora was a beautiful woman, Kakashi thought, her long black and silky hair danced as the wind passed around them. Noticing him watching her, Sora smiled at him.

"At the end, everything will be fine, Kakashi-kun." She told him.

However, Sora had been wrong because, a day later, his father took his own life. When Kakashi walked into his house, he quickly sensed that something was wrong and then he found his father's lifeless body in the middle of the room.

After calling for help, Sakumo's body was taken to the hospital for a post-mortem examination, although it was clear that he had committed suicide. Kakashi was standing in the hospital corridor when a baby's cry caught his attention. Instinctively, he walked to where the cry came from and peeked inside the room as the door was open.

In the centre of the room, he spotted Sora holding a small bundle of joy. A little dark haired baby girl was in her arms as she rocked her up and down to calm her cries.

"I'm so happy for you, Sora." A woman standing by her side told her. After looking at her, Kakashi realised it was Mikoto Uchiha, Military Police Force Captain Fugaku's wife, another of the captains leading the war alongside Ogata and his late father.

"Misaki is a great name for her. Even though she's just been born, she's beautiful." Mikoto got close to the baby who was now moving her little hands as if to reach for her. "You'll be classmates with my first child, Misaki, so be friends, okay?" She added.

Misaki. That child's name…

Kakashi didn't know then but on the day he lost his father and only family, another life was born. The one that would become his family years later.

* * *

* Misaki's name means _beautiful bloom_.

 **NOTE:** hello again, my dear readers! For those waiting for part 3 of the Misaki series, sorry! I started writing this short story two weeks ago and I couldn't stop! I'm publishing the whole story in one go, so no waiting around for the next update.

If you've been following the series, then you know what special day is coming for Misaki so, befitting the timeline, it was natural for her to reminisce about the past, don't you think?

If you haven't read **Misaki of the Leaf** yet, please, stop now and read it first! Otherwise, it will ruin it for you as this contain spoilers all through out the chapters. Seriously, read that first! :)

Hope you guys enjoy this compilation of short passages that have appeared in the previous stories as flashbacks and memories, and some scenes viewed by another POV (Point Of View). As some people have mentioned, they were a bit confused when they were introduced. So here, they're all in chronical order.

Ja ne

Misa xx


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

 _Four years later -_ _ **June, 1 bNB**_

"Onii-chan, onii-chan!" Misaki ran towards his older brother just as he was about to throw the two kunai place one by one in between his fingers. He had just taken a deep breath before closing his eyes in concentration.

There were wooden targets raised over the trees behind their home with two black circles drawn on each of them.

"Misaki! I told you not to run in front of the targets while I'm training. You could get hurt!" He reprimanded her.

"No, I won't! I will move as quick as you and the kunai won't touch me!" She answered ignoring her brothers scold, who rolled his eyes. "Teach me, teach me!"

"Alright, alright. I will teach you some basic techniques so when you join the academy you'll be the best in class. I saw Fugaku-san training his son with shuriken the other day, so I won't let that Itachi be better than you. Whaddya say?" Tetsuya asked her.

"Yay! I'll be the best, you'll see!"

"Tetsuya!" Their father called out. "We need to leave now, find your brother and let's head out."

"You're leaving again?!" Misaki complained.

"Sorry, Misaki. As the war wages, we need to go into the battlefield. Otōsan, Jiro and I have to fight so this war will come to a close and you can leave in world where there is peace. We are shinobi, it's our duty."

"Nii-san!" Jiro cried for help. When Tetsuya looked over his shoulder he found his younger brother cornered by at least ten other shinobi. If anyone else notice this scene they'd probably think it was unnecessary for ten people, who were at least five years older than Jiro, to go after a ten-year old boy in the middle of the battlefield.

Not many people knew his brother was extremely skilled and had defeated over fifty enemy shinobi alone today. That was why it took this amount to men to take him down.

Tetsuya turned to go and help Jiro but at the moment another group moved in front of him. The group was smaller, however, he sensed their strength which was going to a problem for him. He pushed forwards, using a combination of jutsu and weapons, knowing that his brother was in real trouble and didn't have much time left. The enemy had thought the strategy well. They knew the brothers were always fighting alongside each other as that's when their strength was at its peak.

Their skills alone rivaled those of many strong grown up shinobi but together they were one unique shinobi. Fire and water, intelligence and strength, skill and speed. Tetsuya and Jiro complimented each other and as one, they had no weaknesses. This is why their father had not argued when the Hokage requested the twelve and ten year-old boys to go into the battlefield. During times of war, it wasn't uncommon to have such young shinobi barely out of the academy fighting the enemy.

In that one attack, Tetsuya took three of the shinobi down but one of the ones standing managed to apply a binding jutsu that made it impossible to move or gather any chakra to break out of it. The other one hovered above him with a kunai in his hand ready to strike. They knew they had no time to waste.

Tetsuya wasn't worried about the kunai inching closer to his chest. His eyes were wide as he noticed that two men had a hold of his brother in a similar sort of jutsu while a third was beating him up while laughing. His poor brother's face was swollen but he still tried to break free. The determination on his face was still showing strong until the man took a katana from the floor and aimed it at him. Jiro looked back as his brother, in his eyes he was asking for forgiveness, for letting his family down and leaving them behind. Anger filled his whole body.

"Otōsan!" He called for his father who appeared in front of him in a matter of milliseconds. Ogata looked between each of his sons but was frozen on his place.

As soon as he fixed his eyes on the son that had called him, Tetsuya knew he was going to help him instead of saving his younger brother. The kunai aimed at him was closer than the katana aimed at his brother. He had call their father but he wanted him to save Jiro, not himself.

"Nooo! Get Jiro!" His plea died on deaf ears because before he had finished his sentence, his father was already striking the man about to stab his kunai on him and then the one binding him from behind.

It all took a mere second. Tetsuya had already lifted one of his legs to run to Jiro while his father had already reached his brother by using the flicker jutsu. Tetsuya couldn't see his brother as his father's back was obstructing his vision. However, he noticed blood dripping onto the floor and for the way his father's right arm was raised, he wished it was just blood from his hand for grabbing onto the sharp edge of the enemy's katana.

Not a second later he had reached them. And yes, the blood was from his father's hand but also from Jiro's abdomen. Ogata had been a second too late, the one he used to save him instead, and the shinobi's katana was deep into Jiro's vital organs. His father remained still as he watched the blood pouring out of his Jiro's abdomen so he intercepted the attack one of the enemy's had thrown against his father.

"O-tōsan…" Jiro's weak voice called out to him, seeming to bring him back to reality. "I'm sorry." He added.

Ogata gritted his teeth. There was no time to tell his son that he didn't need to be sorry, that he was the one who had to be sorry for not being fast enough to save him.

With one hand he sent the shinobi who was holding the other end of the katana flying back with the force of his chakra alone while he extracted the katana in one swift move then quickly applied pressure on the wound.

"Medic!" He yelled. But it was too late, Jiro's opened eyes had lost their brightness and were no longer focused on anything.

"Tetsuya, take your brother to the medical quarters. I'll deal with the enemy. Do _not_ come back." Ogata ordered his eldest son.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

The storm was so strong that Ogata couldn't open his eyes fully, the rain was merciless on him. He was watching the mountain of bodies that went as far as the eye could see. Most of the shinobi closer to him had died under his hand. After watching his son die in his hands, he had been possessed by such fury that even his comrades had to flee the area because his jutsu were taking everyone down.

Fugaku Uchiha stopped by his side to watch the same scene.

"Remember well, this is the battlefield." He said. Ogata was confused at first at his words but then he noticed that Itachi, Fugaku's son was standing next to him. He had said those words to him.

"You too, in a few years, will be a ninja, and unless the war comes to a close, the reality of shinobi will not change, the world you are about to step in is only the tip of it." Fugaku added.

The four-year old boy's body was trembling either for being soaked by the cold rain or for the scene in front of him, something a normal child should never see. The boy cried under the rain while his father didn't notice. The way his eyes looked ahead weren't those of a normal four-year old. He seemed to realise what the reality of this world was by just looking at the bodies of shinobi wearing headbands from all different countries. Because it didn't matter where they were from, their expressions of agony were all the same.

"This is the world that I live in…" Itachi said.

"Yes, Itachi, a shinobi is one who fights, so don't forget what you saw today." Fugaku replied.

The boy watched the scene as if trying to forever engrave it into his sight. Ogaku noticed that his chakra system was acting differently, concentrating in the back of his eyes, a wave of power dilating his pupils. He had seen something similar before when one of the Uchiha members had awaken his Sharingan while he was close by. However, this boy, who was too young to do so, forced his eyes closed, making the power dissipate.

Ogaku thought then that if someone could ever change the world, it would be someone with the same eyes as Itachi.

"Your boy shouldn't have to witness this monstrosity, Fugaku." Ogata said.

"The same way your younger son shouldn't have to die it in. I'm sorry for your loss." Fugaku responded. Itachi turned and looked up at Ogata after hearing those words. He had watched Ogata's sons work on their shuriken jutsu on the training grounds a few times, and every time he had memorised their movements so he could be one day as good as them. He felt sad to know that one of them had passed.

"No, he shouldn't have nor shouldn't have been fighting in this war. He was only ten years old, for God's sake. What kind of world we live in when we have to bring our kids into this hell instead of letting them play at home like normal children? What am I going to say to my wife and daughter when I return home?"

Itachi watched his father struggle to respond to Ogata's words. It made his goal clear. To convert himself into the strongest shinobi and to make all of the conflict in the world disappear.

He knew that as a four year old he couldn't enter the shinobi Academy yet but he wanted to be a shinobi as soon as possible. So he decided he had to start his training on his own instead.

The Third Great Ninja War ended a few weeks later with the treaty of Armistice between Konohagakure and Iwagakure. Hiruzen renounced his post of Hokage and the village chose Minato Namikaze as the Fourth Hokage.

Misaki stood next to her parents, her mother silently crying while attending the funeral of all the lives lost during the war. When her father returned from the battlefield a few weeks ago, she already knew something was wrong, and it didn't have to do with the look of agony on his face or Tetsuya's red eyes. She had sensed hours ago that there was a void in her chest. And watching her father and eldest brother walk into their house without Jiro, confirmed it all.

A week later, Tetsuya went against their father's orders and went into the battlefield. Before he left he told Misaki that he couldn't just stay at home pretending he wasn't a shinobi, that he had to go and fight like Jiro did. However, just like Jiro, he lost his life and never returned from this hellish war.

When his father returned home, his face wasn't showing agony this time, it was showing intense anger.

The life's of her two brothers were forever lost.

"Misaki, you will not join the Academy next year. You will not become a shinobi like your brothers and end up fighting wars no one wants to fight and die in a meaningless way because nations want more power." That's all his father said.

She had wanted to argue then and tell her father that her goal was to became a great shinobi that will help end the conflict in the shinobi world so there would be no more fighting in this world. Instead, she stayed quiet, thinking of a way to gain skills without attending the Academy.

Looking to her left, he noticed the Uchiha clan all grouped together. On the first line, a boy his age walked away. She knew it was Fugaku's son, a boy that was always quiet, reluctant to speak much to people but whose eyes seemed to see more that the rest.

She followed him, wanting to see where he was going. Reaching the his location, Orochimaru, one of the great Sannin, stood in her way. Behind him, the young Uchiha watched Orochimaru's retreat.

"Ah, Misaki-chan. Are you here to ask me about the meaning of life too?" Orochimaru asked.

"Life? Life is a battle to avoid dying… My two brothers have died but I'm still here to live for them… Still, everybody dies, right?"

"Yes. So there is no meaning in life unless it's eternal, like I just told the Uchiha boy just now." Orochimaru walked past her.

The boy in question is walking into the woods. She wondered why he wanted to find the meaning in life but at the same time, she wanted to know as well.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

 _December,_ _ **1 bNB**_

Later that year, Misaki is training with Shisui Uchiha, a boy a few years older than her. She met him one day working on his kunai throw in the woods by himself.

After realising her potential, Shisui had been teaching her the basic skills taught in the Academy in secret, since Misaki wasn't allowed to join as she wished. Her father didn't know a thing nor did he question why she spent so much time away from home. She didn't want to be in her house because her depressed father did not talk anymore since her mother passed away due to illness. People could die from a broken heart, Misaki thought, since her mother's health deteriorated shortly after losing both her sons to the war.

Shisui showed her the hand signs to activate the Fire style: fireball jutsu and repeating these signs Misaki managed to create fireball only smaller than Shisui's.

"That was really good." Misaki heard someone saying behind her. When she turned, she found a handsome boy walking towards them. It was the Uchiha boy she found talking with Orochimaru the day of the funeral.

"Itachi, you found the place. Misaki, this is my friend Itachi. He's attending the Academy but he wants to learn more jutsu, like you." Shisui said to her.

That day, she found that Itachi also wanted to became a strong shinobi in order to change the fate of the shinobi. He was someone that didn't like violence but he also knew that he had to be the strongest to make the conflict disappear.

The three of them, together, trained relentlessly to make their dreams come true.

And day after day, Misaki felt the void her brothers left getting filled by the two Uchiha who took care of her and helped her become the shinobi she wanted to be.

 _September,_ _ **0 bNB**_

Itachi came to the lake Misaki and Shisui were sitting at while having a break and eating some tomato rice balls. He was holding a baby boy in his arms.

"This is Sasuke. My younger brother. He's a bit more than two months old." He announces.

"Sasuke…" Misaki touched the fussy child, making him smile. "So this is the reason you haven't been training lately… Can I hold him? I never had a younger sibling."

Itachi held Sasuke towards her and Misaki took the baby into his arms. Sasuke began laughing as Misaki made him bounce lightly.

"So cute. Congratulations, Itachi." Shisui said.

"Thank you. I was once looking for the meaning in life. I realised no one wants to die, right? But now that I've seen a new life born, everything makes sense. This warm feeling I feel deep in my soul when I watch Sasuke is a special feeling that is utterly indescribable. I will protect him no matter what." Itachi responded.

"I'm happy for you, Itachi-kun. It must be nice to have a younger brother. I will protect him as well." Misaki told him as she watched in awe the baby in his arms.

"You're good with babies. Up until now, Sasuke has always cried when someone other than myself or my parents held him."

Misaki smiled. "I love babies. When I grow up I want to have one like little Sasuke… Aren't you cute, Sasuke-kun?" She asked the smiling baby.

As the day turned into night, Itachi left to his home while Shisui walked Misaki to her house. However, before they reached their destination, a commotion was heard in the village.

Shisui and Misaki looked back. The moon had turned red and they both sensed a great evil power in the village.

"This chakra…" Shisui said.

"W-What is it, Shisui-san?" Misaki asked.

"Misaki. Stay indoors. Don't leave your home. I believe that's the Kyūbi, it must've gotten free somehow."

Shisui ran towards the village while Misaki did as she'd been told. While waiting at home, she concentrated in keeping tack of the chakra signatures of her friends and father. She knew Itachi, Sasuke and Shisui were safe. However, she was sadden when she stopped sensing the chakra of Minato, the Fourth Hokage, and Kushina, his wife. Many other chakras familiar to him had also faded into nothing.

Hours later, she knew her father was returning home and that he wasn't alone. When he opened the door to his house, she was waiting for him in the dark.

"Otōsan? Is that Minato-sama's son?" She asked as she looked up at the sleeping baby in his arms.

"Yes, Misaki. This is Naruto, he'll be staying with us for a while." Her father answered while walking into the house and closing the door behind him.

Misaki took Naruto into her arms. She looked at him as he slept peacefully, unaware that both his parents had passed away. She wanted him to live a happy life and now it was her duty to give him the love that his parents couldn't give him anymore.

Without a word, Misaki took the baby inside the house and started giving him a bath. For the following couple of years, she took care of him as the younger brother she had wished to have hours earlier, only she wished it hadn't been under such dreadful circumstances.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

 _May,_ _ **2 aNb**_ _(_ ** _a_** _fter_ ** _N_** _aruto is_ _ **b**_ _orn)_

Misaki watched from a nearby tree outside the Academy as Itachi demonstrated his perfect shuriken jutsu while his classmates watched in awe. He seemed bored while ignoring a nearby group of girls that fanned over him. Everything that had been taught in the Academy were techniques that both Itachi and herself had already learnt from either their parents, siblings or Shisui. It was no wonder that Itachi took every opportunity to train with the older Uchiha as it was when he could learn something new.

When the classes were over, Itachi left the building by himself. He didn't try to make friends like the rest of his classmates so Misaki wanted to take the opportunity to walk to the Uchiha compound by his side. Just as she was about to jump down from the tree, one of the students ran outside and called out to him. Misaki stopped herself and stayed in the tree's branch.

"You are Itachi-kun, right?" The girl asked.

"I am." Itachi answered simply.

"My name is Izumi Uchiha. I'm from the class next door."

"And?"

"Our path home is the same, right?"

"There is only one Uchiha compound, of course the path would be the same." Misaki was then thankful for the kind side of Itachi that she knew.

"S-so..t-together…"

"I'm sorry, I'm in a hurry." With that Itachi increased his pace, leaving the girl behind.

"That was a bit harsh, don't you think?" Misaki asked him after catching up to him.

Itachi's face expression changed from boredom to happiness as he looked to her side with a sideways smile.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I believe it took lots of courage for that girl to approach you. She seems to like you."

"Tsk. I don't have time for things like that." He said, looking to the road ahead of them again. Something like a pang was felt in Misaki's chest.

"Don't you want to have a family of your own sometime in the future?"

Itachi seemed to think about it for a few seconds.

"Right now I can only focus in becoming strong. Obviously when I grow up I'd like to raise a family and continue the Uchiha bloodline. An Uchiha girl like her would be the best bet but I'm too young to be thinking about that."

Uchiha blood. This was something Misaki couldn't compete with.

It was true that the whole Uchiha clan liked to kept to themselves. Misaki had somehow forgotten that fact since Shisui and Itachi didn't act like the rest of their clan and welcomed her with open arms into their life. The truth was she wasn't one of them and will never be. The reality hit her like a slap in the face.

"Misaki?" Itachi looked back called out to her when he noticed she had stopped walking. She was looking to her right side while biting her bottom lip.

"Sometimes I forget that you and Shisui belong to the Uchiha clan, and I…"

"Clans? Is that what you're worried about? Clans are trivial things. The world that I want to live is one free of boundaries set by clans and nations. It doesn't matter if you're not an Uchiha, that doesn't separate you from us." Itachi told her while turning her face by pulling her chin to look at him.

She smiled in return. As long as she could stay by his side, that was all it mattered.

 _March,_ _ **4 aNb**_ _\- Two years later_

Itachi had been a Genin for over a year now after graduating from the Academy after attending for merely four months.

He returned from his assignment with Team 2 of escorting the Land of Fire's daimyō on one of his annual visits to Konoha. A mission that, as he told Misaki days earlier, was largely symbolic since the road was safe and the Anbu were also watching over. A waste of time he thought it was because this kind of missions didn't help him become the strong shinobi he wanted to be.

Misaki ran to the village entrance to welcome him home, having sensed his presence a while ago. Her smile faded away when she noticed Itachi's posture. His shoulders were dropped, his head was facing down as he walked into the village without looking where he was going.

When Misaki's sandals appeared in his line of view, a shiver run down his whole body. After a short moment, Itachi let his forehead rest on the crook of her neck. His body started shaking even though the weather was warm so Misaki wrapped her arms around him and tighten them until the trembling stopped. The pain was so strong it was almost tangible.

"Itachi-kun…"

"I've seen countless dead bodies in the past…" he interrupted her. "... but I didn't know back then what the feeling of losing a life was."

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" Misaki asked him.

"A masked man intercepted us on our journey. He took all the guards down and then he killed Tenma. My teammate is dead. He slashed his body right in front of me like he was nothing." Itachi explained.

"Oh, Itachi-kun. I'm so sorry. I know you were finally getting on good terms with him…"

"More than that. The way the man was acting was strange, it was as if he wanted to prove something. He seemed disappointed when I just stood there looking at him while I couldn't move. His red Sharingan looked into my eyes for long seconds, like he was waiting for something to happen. But nothing did.

Now that I know what the feeling of losing someone is, I don't want to lose something precious anymore. That feeling is too painful."

Itachi raised his face and stared into her eyes. They were the same height now after Itachi had caught up to the few months she had on him. When Misaki looked into his eyes, the first thing she noticed wasn't the tears falling down his face, it was the Sharingan that his eyes were now showing. Itachi had been longing to wake his Sharingan for a few years, and now, at age eight, they were fully activated.

"Itachi-kun, your eyes…"

Itachi wiped his eyes with the palm of his hand, surprised to see the wetness in them. The power that the Sharingan brought up in him seemed to also startle him.

"Izumi said she awoke her Sharingan after watching her father die. I think the masked man was trying to do the same by killing my teammate, only it didn't work."

"But, your Sharingan… now…"

"Has been activated due to the fear of losing something precious to me. I wasn't scared when this man killed everyone around me. I might have been shocked, angered or nervous but now, I see you standing right in front of me and the fear of something like that happening to you makes me feel helpless. It agonizes me that I wouldn't be strong enough to protect you.

That feeling of helplessness just now has overwhelmed to the point of awakening my Sharingan."

 _Something precious to me_ , the words echoed in her mind, the happiness that those few words brought up in her were slightly shadowed with what she knew would come next.

"That's why I'll be become much more stronger so you won't have to protect me. So don't you dare ask me not to become a shinobi like my father did because he didn't have faith in me and could only picture me dying during a fight."

"I wouldn't dare. Still, I will also become more powerful to fight by your side and protect my little brother." He said with a smile on his face.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

 _April,_ _ **4 aNb**_

"It seems you have mastered your Sharingan, Itachi." Shisui said mid-strike, Itachi easily dodged it.

"Don't forget about me!"

Itachi turned in the direction of her voice. He saw something flying through the air and heading his way. As soon as it came within his arm's reach, Itachi reached out and caught it with his right hand. Kunai…

Looking down at the kunai would've been a fatal error with someone without the Sharingan, because in that mere moment, Misaki had teleported behind his back and was about to deliver a blow. However, thanks to his dōjutsu, Itachi had seen both her and Shisui's next movement, and with small step to the side, he was out of their line of attack.

Shisui grinned while Misaki frowned.

The two-to-one combination against Itachi suddenly turned against Misaki. Standing in front of her, Shisui and Itachi shared a look before facing her again. Shisui smiled then activated his Sharingan to be on par with Itachi.

Knowing that what would come next would be tough, Misaki took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly, amplifying the range of her senses and gathering her chakra in her arms and feet. Not only both the Uchiha excelled in taijutsu and ninjutsu, they were also extremely quick, with Shisui being known as the fastest shinobi in Konoha. Nevertheless, she had learned her skills from and alongside them both so it wasn't an impossible task to defeat them. It wasn't easy either.

Shisui began using his Body Flicker jutsu, and moving around her he created several afterimages. Misaki knew this was a deliberate move that would hide the real attack which would be provided by Itachi. She had to identify the real Shisui but that was difficult since each of the afterimages had mass and chakra behind them.

She wasn't sure how her skill worked but for what Shisui explained regarding the Byakugan, that was the closest to how hers worked. Misaki didn't have any visible dōjutsu but her sensory skills were so accurate that she could pinpoint her opponent's location without having to look. The image of where they were was clear in her mind and, not only it was covered a 360 degree angle, she could sense their intentions regarding their next movement before the movement was made.

This is how she managed to identify the real Shisui, she began her attack by throwing multiple shuriken, knowing that Itachi would take that opening to use some sort of jutsu from behind. As expected, Itachi attacked her with a fireball jutsu which she stopped with a water formation wall technique. However, Itachi pushed through the wall appearing right in her face, his new mastered Sharingan activated.

Genjutsu. Demonic Illusion: Mirage Crow.

Misaki found herself trapped in a powerful illusion, a genjutsu that projected a torrent of crows, leaving her incapacitated and at his mercy. She struggled at first but after a lot of concentration she gathered all her chakra to disrupt it.

Coming back to herself, she found Shisui looking at her with his Sharingan still activated.

"Good job, but this isn't over yet." He said.

"I didn't expect it to be." She answered, resuming her fighting stance.

Shisui grabbed his tantō, the small katana he kept at his shoulder, and Misaki did the same with hers. A fight between them two began, both showing great swordsmanship skills. The moved from side to side, attacking, blocking and evading each other. At the eyes of someone else, it would've been impossible to follow their movements.

Itachi used another opening to throw shuriken coated with fire against her. As she blocked the multiple shuriken with her blade, she could only void Shisui's relentless attack but at some point, Shisui used his unmatched speed to move to her front, and the blade of his katana was embedded into her abdomen before she could even register the movement.

Misaki dropped her katana on the floor and felt the warm blood trickling down her chin.

"That was mean." She said as she grabbed the blade with both her hands. The sharp steel cut through her palms.

Shisui's eyes widened. That wasn't something he expected her to say.

"Can we fight for real now and stop this foolish games?" Misaki asked now smiling.

Shisui chuckled then rolled his eyes. With that, the genjutsu he had applied on her moments ago dissipated. Misaki was facing Shisui like she was when he said it wasn't over yet. To her left, Itachi was grinning.

"She saw through our double genjutsu, who would've thought?" Itachi told them. "Most people don't realise, let alone break from them. She really is full of surprises."

Someone in the woods began clapping.

The three of them turned to where the noise originated with clear surprise in their faces. None of them had noticed there was someone watching.

"Danzō." Shisui greeted him between clenched teeth.

Danzō was one of the elders of Konoha and founder of the Root. That's all Misaki knew about the man standing with a cane in his left hand. But she knew from just looking at him that he was bad news.

"Relax, Uchiha brats. I'm just here to confirm the intel I received on his young girl that is capable to go against two of the most skilled shinobi from the Uchiha clan. You're Ogata's daughter, are you not?" Danzō asked looking at Misaki.

When she didn't reply, Danzō continued.

"Your brothers were great shinobi even at such young age, and your father was one of the best captains we had during the war. If anyone could go against Itachi's father, Fugaku, that was him, so it's no wonder you're showing such skills so early. I know he forbid you from joining the Academy because of the death of both his sons but the village is being deprived of a valuable asset if you aren't allowed to become a shinobi. You want to become a shinobi, right?"

"Of course!" This time Misaki answered without hesitation. "But without joining the Academy, how can I become one?"

"Leave it to me. I'll convince the Third to let you take the exams. You've shown the required skills and some more, so it will be easy for you to pass. Once you've become a full-fledged shinobi, I'm sure you can be a great addition to my personnel."

"There's no way I'll let Misaki join the Root." Shisui stated, taking a step before Misaki and blocking her from Danzō's view.

"No need to fuss about it, Shisui. She's not material from the Root, there's not an ounce of darkness in her. Still, she'll be of great use to the village. Aren't you helping her to become a shinobi? Are you going to oppose against it now?"

"Fine." Shisui said simply.

"That young beauty is _her_?"

"Jiraiya, please. She's just nine years old." The Third complained as they both watched through the windows of his office as Misaki left the Academy with her new acquired Konoha headband, the one that proved she was now a Genin.

"Even at this age I can tell she'll developed into a beauty soon. Anyway, don't you think is too early? How good can she be?" Jiraiya questioned.

"You've seen Itachi fight, right? He'll be nine soon as well."

"Oh yes, that boy is something else. In his case, age doesn't apply."

"Well, Misaki can fight him and Shisui while holding her ground…"

"That's not possible!"

"I didn't believe it at first when Danzō told me. But I've seen it with my own eyes. And her speed is something else, thanks to her training with Shisui she can almost match him, in no time she will. She passed the Academy exam without breaking a sweat, and she didn't even attend any of the classes. Most of her skill has been acquired by training under Shisui and self-taught, I believe."

"Fine. If you're so worried about Danzō's interest in her I'll take her away with me. I'll keep her out of the village at least until we find Orochimaru. Those two working together can only mean trouble. Plus I heard he's after Kakashi's Sharingan." Jiraiya said.

"Thank you. Misaki will be of great help thanks to her sensory skills. Please take care of her."


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

 _March,_ _ **5 aNb**_

"Misaki-chan! It's so good to see you." Mikoto, Itachi and Sasuke's mom, greeted her as she approached their home. She was leaving their house and was holding little Sasuke's hand, who was almost 5 years old now. Sasuke took a few seconds to recognise her but when he did, his eyes lit up.

"Misaki-neechan!" He exclaimed before letting go of her mother's hand and running towards her.

"Sasuke-kun! You've grown so much." Misaki kneeled on the floor with open arms in time to catch the running kid and cuddle him.

"Ah, I can't wait to see my grandchildren…" Mikoto murmured.

"Don't encourage her. She's not an Uchiha, and as the lead family of the clan, our children have a responsibility." Fugaku complained as he also exited the house on his way to the Police headquarters.

"Anata*, don't say such rude things. Our kids are free to be with the women they'd love, regardless of their clan." Misaki flinched, even though it didn't surprise her that Fugaku would want that for his sons, it hurt to know that she would never have his approval to be with Itachi.

"Hey, I'm only 10 years old. Don't you think is a bit too early to talk about grandchildren, Okāsan?" Itachi said as he jumped from his bedroom window which was just above the main entrance. When his eyes found Misaki's, his eyes lit up but in a more intense way than his younger brother's did. Mikoto smiled while she observed them.

"I don't think so, son." She replied.

"I'm glad you're home. It's been a long year since you've been gone. How was your training with Jiraiya-sama?" Itachi asked Misaki while walking closer to her.

"It was great when Jiraiya-sensei wasn't on his 'research' missions but I'll tell you all about it while we have some dango. What do you say?"

"I want to come with!" Sasuke yelled before Itachi could reply. Misaki looked a Mikoto for approval.

"Alright, Sasuke. But be a good boy, okay?" Mikoto told her younger son. "You don't mind taking care of Sasuke while I go shopping, don't you Misaki-chan?"

"Of course not. I'll take care of him and I won't let anything happen to him, that's a promise." Misaki said while smiling at Sasuke and holding onto his hand.

"Nii-san said you went training with Jiraiya-sama. Have you become stronger than him now?" Sasuke asked her while the walk through the Uchiha compound.

"Stronger than Itachi? I'm sure Itachi has become stronger as well during this year so we can only find out in a fight, don't you think?" She answered smiling.

"I have the perfect setting for testing your new skills." A male's voice said behind them.

Itachi and Misaki turned back surprised again for not noticing Danzō's presence for a second time.

"I came to tell Itachi that the Third has agreed to take by himself the Chūnin exams he's been wanting to take for the last year, but hasn't able to do so because his team leader doesn't think his team is ready. But now that you're back, Misaki, you two can form a two-man cell during the exams. I'm sure after a year of training with one of the Great Sannin your skills will meet the requirements." Danzō explained.

"The Chūnin exams?" Itachi interest picked up.

"That's right. It starts five days from now. If you two want to take them, you'll have to submit your applications tomorrow at the latest."

Misaki and Itachi looked at each other then nodded.

This was an opportunity they couldn't pass.

After completing the first Chūnin Exams, the written test, Itachi and Misaki began the second stage where teams had five days to reach the centre of the Forest of Death with two scrolls in their possession. Itachi headed directly for the centre as soon as they entered the forest, openly carrying their scroll, the Heaven scroll.

"Are you trying to lure another team into attacking you?" Misaki who was running next to him questioned his intentions.

"Why waste time hiding from the other teams when we can settle this quickly?"

Misaki trusted him. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to defeat a team of three shinobi from another village, but if Itachi thought they'd be able to do so then she was sure they'd succeed.

They were able run all the way without much interruption, easily defeating the natural hazards of the forest, and with the combination of Itachi's Sharingan and Misaki's sensory skills they didn't lose their direction as many other did.

As expected, a few hours later, a three-man team from the Village Hidden by Mist appeared from the forest and surrounded them.

"What do we have here?" The tallest of them asked as he looked down at Misaki. "You two should still be in class with the rest of the kiddies… where is your third teammate?"

"It's just the two of us. And the fact that we are so young and don't need a third member should tell you that we're more skilled that you three so you're better off giving up." Itachi told them.

The three Kiri-nin started laughing loudly but their laughter was short lived when Itachi used his Crow Clone Technique to blind their opponents and leaving them open to a counter-attack. Misaki then used her Fire Release: Great Fireball jutsu, leaving the Genin barely able to stand.

"H-How can she use such a powerful jutsu? It's impossible!" One of them complained.

"How?" Itachi stood in front of them. "Like I told you, we're more skilled than you." He said before activating his Sharingan so they could see.

" _Sharingan!?_ " All three screamed. Frightened from what they just seen, the three Kirin-nin surrendered their scroll to them.

"Take it please. We don't want to fight you!"

Misaki approached the one that had the scroll which as expected was an Earth scroll, the one they needed, and took it from him before Itachi knocked them out from behind.

"Was that necessary?" She asked him.

"I don't want them to follow us. They'll be okay in a few hours so don't worry. Let's head to the building."

They entered the building where one of the Chūnin Exams Proctor gaped when he saw them entering.

"How did you get here so quickly? You do know you need to get the other scroll to pass this test, don't you?" He asked.

Misaki raised her arm to show him the Earth scroll while Itachi did the same with the Heaven scroll they had from the beginning.

"We have both." Itachi informed him.

"Eehh? It's been only less than six hours since this test started! You… you two have made a new record!"

They both smiled at each other before high-fiving.

* * *

* Anata literally means 'you' but is used between married couples and is usually translated as 'dear'.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

Since the second stage was scheduled to last five days, Misaki and Itachi had this time for themselves until the rest of the teams finished, so they decided to train in their usual area by the cliff in order to get ready for the final stage of the exams. The sun was almost setting when Sasuke arrived.

"Nii-saaaan, Misaki-neesaaaan!" Sasuke called out to them while running to their location. They both seemed to be trying to catch their breaths after their sparring match. Misaki dropped to her knees when Sasuke reached her.

"Misaki-neesan, are you okay?" He asked her. She seemed to be completely out of energy. Unsure of what to do, he turned to his brother with an angry face and scorned him. "Nii-san! What have you done to Misa-nee? This is not right, I don't want you to hurt her, okay?"

Itachi stepped back and put his hands up in surrender. "You got it all wrong, Sasuke. I'm the one who's lost this time, Misaki's just almost out of chakra, that's why she's out of breath."

"I'm fine, Sasuke-kun." Misaki said and grabbed his hand. Sasuke turned back and found her smiling. Her smile was contagious because he couldn't help but return it.

"How I love seeing this beautiful family together." Shisui announced as he approached the little group.

"Yo!" He added when they all turned to look at him.

"Hey, Shisui." Misaki greeted the older Uchiha. "Well, you're like a big brother to me and Itachi, so that makes you part of this family, isn't it?" She said with a smile.

"Soooo, if I'm a big brother to you two, what does that make you, brother and sister? Shisui asked looking between Misaki and Itachi, his index finger placed over his chin.

"I-I guess." Misaki answered with little emotion while Itachi frowned. "After all, Sasuke-kun calls me neesan…"

"Oh? Is that how you see Itachi?"

Misaki locked eyes with Itachi, and Shisui chuckled after a few seconds. Sometimes, when they gazed into each other eyes, if felt that there was an invisible thread that tied their hearts together and he knew for sure the rest of the world stopped existing for them during this time.

Misaki was the first to look away and you could almost hear that thread snap. She looked up at Sasuke who seemed to have felt that connection but didn't know yet what it was exactly for the confused expression on his face.

"So you won against nii-san?" Sasuke said. "You're getting so strong! Can you train me, please, Misa-nee? Nii-san always says he's busy, he's so mean!" Sasuke said with a pout.

"Hey, hey. Don't say that, Sasuke-kun. Your brother really is busy with very important missions but I can train with you since I don't have any at the moment so I have more spare time. I'll make you stronger than him. What do you think?"

"Really?"

Misaki nodded and Sasuke's face lit up.

"You're the best!" He exclaimed as he launched himself at her and held onto her neck. After a couple of seconds, Misaki wrapped her arms around his little body and hugged him close to her.

"Anytime, Sasuke-kun. You know I'll always be here for you." Misaki whispered while nuzzing her nose against his neck.

The final stage is a series of one-to-one matches between the remaining participants. Itachi was scheduled to fight a Konoha shinobi on his first match, but his opponent withdrew rather than face him.

"Wow, you really have made a name for yourself in the village if other shinobi are too scared to fight you." Misaki told him proudly.

"That doesn't do me any good, if I don't get to fight I can't show my skills to the examiners. But let's concentrate on you, it's your turn against Hayate, thirteen years old. He's also a Konoha shinobi and he's known for his kenjutsu. It'll be a great match to you since you're great with swords."

"Leave it to me." Misaki said confidently.

Hayate's speed and swordsmanship were shadowed by Misaki's. His attacks relied on creating two shadow clones and simultaneously attacking an opponent with their swords at such high speeds, that they create after-images, making it difficult to avoid. However, Misaki's speed was greater so she was able to easily dodge his and hold his strikes. Metal clashed against metal, the sparks bright as their katana's striked each other.

Realising that he possessed great reflexes, Misaki copied his jutsu and used it against him but with greater speed. In this case, Hayate, obviously taken by surprise, didn't escape the attack and ended on the floor incapacitated.

The people watching the fight seemed confused for a few seconds, even the examiners looked between each other. Hayate's jutsu was an A-rank jutsu that he had learn in the last year and it seemed that Misaki had mastered it after only watching it once.

The silence was broken when everyone started clapping and the proctor, who was just as astonished, finally declared Misaki as the winner.

"Skills like that belong in the Anbu." Danzō said next to the Third.

"I don't know about that. But, I know that after one match, she is more than qualified to be promoted to Chūnin."

The day after, Itachi's third scheduled match and Misaki's second match were cancelled. They were officially promoted to Chūnin by the Third Hokage.

"Chūnin at the age of ten! Just like the Fourth! Congratulations you both!" Shisui told them after hearing the news. They were having some tea at Itachi's garden while Sasuke played around them.

"Thanks Shisui. I never expected to become a Chūnin so soon. It's all thanks to Itachi." Misaki said shyly.

"Nonsense. We both did our part equally and we both deserved it." Itachi argued.

"Are you going to join the police force like Otōsan, Nii-san?" Sasuke asked after hearing their conversation.

"About that…" Fugaku started as he exited their home. "Itachi, I've submitted your name for consideration in the ANBU."

ANBU were the Special Assassination and Tactical Squad formed by the elite shinobi of the village. Their members were hand-picked for their individual capabilities and special skills, so being part of it was both extremely difficult and something that anyone would be proud of.

Shisui was already a member of the ANBU and just the thought of Itachi reaching Shisui's level was something Misaki felt really delighted to hear.

However, there was an undercurrent dark tone in the way Fugaku wanted his son to join this forces. As if there was another motive for him to propose Itachi to become an ANBU instead of for his remarkable skills.

To everyone's surprise, Itachi is accepted into the ANBU months later and his first mission is to assassinate a Konoha shinobi that has been selling secrets to another village.

Itachi's first step into a path full of darkness.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

 _June,_ _ **8 aNb**_

Itachi had been working as ANBU for the last two years and from day one, Itachi had been stepping further and further away from Misaki, Sasuke and his parents.

They still met regularly in between missions, training hard as usual but Itachi had stopped looking at her, talking to her the way he used to. His cold attitude unnerving her day after day. So when Itachi seemed to lower his guard like today, Misaki felt that if she made the wrong move, his guard would be back up again.

They were taking a break, both sharing some sweet dumplings with Shisui by the deck of the lake near the training grounds. Misaki and Itachi were looking at the water in front of them with their legs dangling from the edge. Shisui was next to her, sitting cross-legged and facing them two while she enjoyed the feeling of Itachi as their arms were brushing against each other.

The sun was out with no clouds to obstruct its warm rays and there was no wind stirring the fallen leaves. The way they enjoyed Itachi's favourite snack while sharing a comfortable silence was one of those times where they were back to normal, to where they were before Itachi's promotion to ANBU. She savoured this special moment with the two people she considered family. Other people became awkward with silence but they simply enjoyed each other's company.

"I've been promoted to ANBU captain and I'm short one person for my next mission." Itachi announced after they've finished the dumplings. The shiver that ran through her skin was probably due to that ice wall that Itachi had put around him once more.

"Oh? Well, congratulations! Already an ANBU captain after joining only two years ago. I believe since you're only thirteen that's a new record! Well done, Itachi." Shisui told him pleased, seeming to be unaware of the tension in her shoulders.

"I'm proud of you." Misaki said smiling and leaning into him, it made Itachi blush for a short second before he held onto that barrier that he put between them.

"Thank you both. Actually, Misaki, I've requested the council to bring you with my team for our mission. They've accepted and have granted an exception for a non-member to the ANBU to join this operation. Your skills are vital to succeed.

"Eh? Me?" she asked confused making Shisui chuckle at her expression.

"Yeah, and the Hokage said it could work as a base for you to get recommended for Jōnin depending on how it goes."

Misaki rolled her eyes. "Well, thanks for the added pressure." The boys started laughing as she scratched the back of her head and frown.

"Misaki, you're going to do great as usual." Shisui told her. "And Itachi will make sure that nothing happens to you." He said with a stern looked directed at Itachi, who nodded in acceptance.

"Come on, guys. Break is over. Since you two are going to work together you can partner up on our next sparring session." Shisui added before standing up and teleporting to the other edge of the lake, readied on his fighting stance.

Itachi and Misaki were combining their water style techniques against Shisui's fire jutsu when Sasuke arrived running up the deck where Shisui was. The fireball collided with their water dragon missile, creating an explosion of steam so great that someone without the sharingan would be unable to see anything around them.

"Sasuke!" Misaki stopped her attack to run to the little boy, passing by an astonished Shisui who spared her a side glance before turning his attention to Itachi. It was clear that Misaki was out of the training as every time little Sasuke was around. She held Sasuke's face in her hands and kissed his forehead, making him blush.

While they sat on the deck, the curtain of steam dissipated but she noticed Shisui telling something to Itachi that seemed to surprise him...

Days later, Misaki and Itachi returned from their mission together and because of the time they arrived at the village, they both silently headed to the Academy to pick Sasuke.

After grabbing both hers and his brothers hands, Misaki was dragged to the Uchiha home by Sasuke. The little boy didn't want to let go of her hand until they reached the house and then ran to take a bath.

"I'll be quick! Don't go while I clean up Misaki-neesan!" He yelled while running to the bathroom.

"Sasuke seems infatuated with you, Misaki-chan" Mikoto said as she came from the corridor Sasuke had run through. "It must be in the genes." She added eyeing her older son.

"Hmm?" Itachi had been distracted looking at Misaki.

"I'm on my way to run some urgent errands so you guys will have to prepare dinner tonight."

"Don't worry, Okāsan. We'll manage." Itachi told her mother before she headed out of the house.

Itachi stayed there looking at Misaki so when she looked back at him her eyes narrowed.

"Ok, I'll cook. You go and get clean up too." She told him before turning to the kitchen door on her left.

"Wait, that's not-" he started saying but he realised a moment too late that she had misinterpreted him.

"I was surprised when you asked me to join the ANBU mission you were leading…" Misaki said once they reached the family kitchen.

"Why is that? You know I'd do anything to help you get stronger and taking such mission will only get you closer to that goal. The elders are already considering promoting you to Jōnin." Itachi asked as he watched her gather some utensils and groceries together.

"Because unless we're training you're always avoiding me. Have I done something to upset you? Am I a nuisance standing between you and your training with Shisui?"

Instead of answering, Itachi looked down at the counter in front of him.

Misaki continued preparing dinner.

"You really don't have to cook for us, Misaki." Itachi suddenly whispered behind her, he was close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body. A shiver ran down her spine as a tingling sensation spread through her skin. Misaki fought the urge to lean back into his warmth.

"It's the least I can do, all you get to eat during your missions is food pills which taste like feet, so stop complaining and enjoy the food." She ordered, turning around and pushing him back when all she wanted to do was grab hold of him and keep him close.

Itachi noticed the blush in her face.

"Why." He said the word but not as a question.

"Because otherwise you two will starve tonight." Misaki answered although she knew that wasn't what he was asking her.

After a while she placed an overflowing plate of food on the kitchen counter next to where he had sat.

She smiled at him but gasped when she felt Itachi's hand over hers.

"Why are your feelings still getting stronger after all these years? I have done nothing to encourage you, and yet, you still look at me in the same way."

Misaki couldn't help but flinch. What did he know about her feelings? She tried pulling her hand but Itachi's hold wouldn't let her.

"I can't tell my heart who to love." She finally said, making Itachi gasp.

"You shouldn't…"

"Itachi, you took my heart probably the day we met and since my body can't function without it, it will follow you wherever you go." Itachi let out a deep breath, he didn't seem to like that piece of information.

"Shisui told me the other day that I was being foolish for ignoring my feelings. However, I've always been aware of them but I thought it was too early to feel this way. But what Shisui responded when I told him that was that love doesn't have an age, and I believe that has been true for us.

I know I shouldn't do this but, right now, I can fight against it anymore."

They stayed like that for a moment, staring into each other's eyes, neither of them needing to voice their thoughts, a current of emotions running between them through their connected hands. The sounds of the outside world muffled by their beating hearts.

Itachi then placed her hand over his heart, pulling her closer. Without any warning, he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss over her lips, bringing alive every cell in her body as the world seemed to stop in its axis.

Leaning back her caressed her face before speaking once again.

"There are so many things that I still don't understand in this world. But there's one thing that's certain… I will never, ever stop loving you." He declared.


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

 _Itachi's POV_

"Congratulations on your promotion to Jōnin! I knew you would become an elite ninja very quickly." I said holding my tea for a toast.

"Thank you, I'm was very surprised when the Hokage told me the news but we should celebrate." Misaki replied smiling.

She had just returned from classified S-rank mission where she had to use everything she had learnt so far not only to succeed but also to come out alive. Her chakra control, ninjutsu and taijutsu had been put to test along with her technical and tactical skills. If it wasn't for the intense training she had received under Shisui and me, and then Jiraiya, probably the end result would've been the same.

The Hokage and the Council had reviewed the report for the mission her captain had quickly provided and they've all agreed on appointing her Jōnin after her return. She seemed surprise at the outcome but I never doubted it. Misaki was the only one that didn't realise her true potential. Shisui and I have agreed years ago that she'd be able to surpass us both at some point. She had a hidden power, one we couldn't understand but the one that gave her the ability to fight against our dōjutsu.

"Why don't I prepare your favourite meal, I know you must be starving. Does that sound good?" I asked her and she seemed excited at the idea.

Misaki relaxed on her chair while watching me around her kitchen. After I had put the ingredients in the pan I felt her behind me, her arms wrapping around me. My body froze for a moment and ironically, it was because the warmth of her body sipped into every pore of my body.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked while turning around.

She looked up, staring into my eyes for a few seconds before standing on her tiptoes, her lips brushing mine, light as a feather.

I smiled, placing a hand on her cheek while tracing her cheekbone with my thumb. Misaki looked at me with raw desire in her eyes before lowering her eyes to my lips. My heart started beating rapidly as it usually did when we were this close.

Misaki kissed me again, but this time she deepened the kiss. I shuddered as her lips parted to coax me closer for a deeper kiss.

I stopped the kiss, if we continued like this I wouldn't be able to control my desire and as much as I wanted to, it was too soon. However, as I tried to move away from her, she leaned her body against me, stopping my movements.

My brain was paralyzed for the unexpected but my body betrayed me. Moving on its own, it pushed against her body until her back hit the kitchen island. Even though our bodies were plastered against each other, it felt like it wasn't close to being enough.

My mouth crashed down on hers and claimed her in a passionate kiss. She cupped the back of my neck as if she was afraid that I was going to put a stop to his madness. It was too late for that but she didn't seem to know that. I closed my eyes as she did as well and leaned even closer, my body treasuring the feeling of her lips against mine.

When we reached the bed I buried my face in her neck, enjoying the fragrance of her body as she gave herself to me and I poured my entire soul and heart into her.

...

As our breathing returned to normal, I took her face in both my hands and then kissed her reverently, hoping that she would understand my feelings. She held me close and drifted to sleep with her cheek pressed against my chest. My heart felt like it was going to burst with the love that I felt for her.

I engraved this feeling in my mind and heart, knowing that this would be the last time I would get to hold her like this. As much as I wanted to keep her by my side, the path that I'd taken wasn't one that she could follow.


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 11**

The tension in the Uchiha compound during the last days was almost palpable, Misaki thought as she walked through it.

Lately, she had been almost the only non-Uchiha person walking through these streets. She understood why. Unlike herself, who almost knew everyone in the compound after walking past and using the cafes and local shops for the past ten years, all outsiders were treated with cold looks and whispers from members of the clan. Outsiders were not welcome anymore.

This started after the Kyūbi incident since people of the village stop trusting the Uchiha, believing that they were behind the attack, and the friction between them had now reached its peak.

"... Itachi might not be saying the whole truth…" She heard one member of the Uchiha Police force tell another. When her step faltered after hearing Itachi's name, the two men turned to look at her then turn back and walked away.

It wasn't the first time she'd heard people whispering about Itachi, something he didn't want to talk about when she questioned him.

To make things worse, she had noticed Shisui and Itachi having 'secret' meetings regularly and she couldn't help but be curious about it. Especially since she sensed that there was a lot going on.

Without consciously thinking about it, Misaki moved to the location where she could sense the boys that were hiding something from her. They were somewhere deep in the forest where they had met previously.

"Sorry I haven't been able to help like I promised." Misaki overheard Itachi tell Shisui who looked clearly exhausted. Misaki was hiding behind a large tree, her chakra masked so the Uchiha wouldn't sense her.

"No need to apologise. I know you have lots of responsibilities in the ANBU. However, the clan is suspecting you and they've asked me to spy on you. They want to make sure there are no interferences when the _Coup_ begins if the vote is favourable…"

At the mention of the word _Coup_ , Misaki held the gasp that was about to break from her lips but, in doing so, she lost control of masking her chakra for a short second.

The silence that followed confirmed that she had been made.

She considered teleporting away from there to avoid facing the two Uchiha, but before she could move a muscle, Shisui appeared in front of her with a concerned look on his face. He was clearly wondering what she had heard.

"Misaki… what are you doing here?" He asked her.

"I was wondering the same… What is going on?" She questioned, letting him know that she had heard enough.

"Nothing that concerns you." Itachi, who had appeared to her right, said to her.

"Everything that involves you and Shisui concerns me. Whatever you two are working on, I can help."

"No, these are matters of the clan and you shouldn't be involved." Itachi argued.

"But I want to help, Itachi." She said, grabbing his arm.

Itachi pulled away as if he had been burnt by her touch.

"If things were different… if I wasn't a shinobi, a member of the clan then maybe we could… but this path I'm taking is one you shouldn't follow." Itachi turned his back on her.

"Stop pulling away from me…" She pleaded. "I don't like where you're going."

Misaki was at home, restless and walking in circles around her room. Tonight was the day of the Uchiha assembly and she knew that something important would happen and not only because Itachi had forbidden her to be near the compound.

The next step she was about to take froze in mid-air. She sensed Shisui's chakra signature was fading rapidly. Extending her sensory skills, she located him running at high speed while other five people were pursuing him. Leaving the house in the next second, she ran to where he was.

As she got closer to him, Misaki spotted five members of the Root running after Shisui. They didn't sense her. However, Shisui did. He looked back and glanced at her, he looked injured and one of his eyes had blood on them. Shisui then turned his direction towards the West.

A sensation spread through her body as if it weighed a ton. Misaki had to stop her pursuit and take a breath. Her body didn't seem to respond and her mind was forcing her to turn back to the village. Her heart, on the other hand, was fighting against it.

" _Shisui_." She grunted. Whatever jutsu he had applied on her wasn't one that could be broken, it was much, much stronger than his usual genjutsu.

Unable to fight it, she reluctantly began walking back to where she had come from just before she sensed Itachi approaching Shisui.

 _Itachi will help him, he will bring him back home. Everything will be alright._ Those were the last thoughts and memories she had before waking up in her bed the following morning.

Her eyes were wide open, her senses already searching for Shisui.

Nothing.

She searched again and again but the outcome was just the same.

Even when she'd been far away in another country with Jiraiya, she'd been able to sense her friends. It was something she used to do to feel close to them. But this time, it was different.

Taking a step out of her bed, she ran at full speed towards Itachi's home, reaching it in mere moments. She just turned a corner when she heard a voice.

"What don't you just go and say it!" Was the first thing she heard Itachi say angrily. He was standing in his home's doorstep barefoot, while three of the Police higher ups were outside. They also look infuriated.

Misaki stayed hidden and observed from there, afraid that if they saw her they would stop the conversation and she wouldn't know what was going on.

"You think I had something to do with Shisui's death?" Itachi added.

 _Death!? Shisui is… it can't be… It must be something else, Itachi wouldn't let him die..._

Itachi charged forwards, easily taking the three Uchiha down. She almost missed the movements.

"Just like I told you before. You shouldn't make judgements about people based just on appearance. You made a mistake when you took me lightly, thinking that I was a patient man. The clan, the clan… all you ever think about is the clan. You misjudged me but now you have felt my strength and you're on your hands and knees in the dirt."

One of the police members began to stand up.

"Shisui had been watching you recently. We couldn't ignore the change in your behaviour since joining the ANBU. What are you thinking?" He said.

"Attachment to the clan, why 'attach'? I can see it clearly now, people become afraid when they don't understand…" Itachi answered, his eyes full of rage.

In that moment, Misaki noticed someone behind her. Turning around, she faced Fugaku who had been standing there for a while without her noticing.

"Fugaku-san…" She whispered, embarrassed for being caught spying on his son.

"I can't change Itachi's mind, so please, give my son the support I wish I could give him…" He requested before stepping forwards. "Even as his father I can't read his mind but you have reached him in ways that I have never done...

Stop it, Itachi!" He ordered his son. "What on Earth is going on?"

Itachi was visibly surprised.

"You had been acting strange lately."

"Nothing is strange." Itachi replied.

"So why you didn't attend yesterday's meeting?"

"To get closer to the very top."

"What do you mean?"

Itachi didn't answer, instead, he threw his kunai against the wall. He seems to be reaching the limit of his patience. The kunai pierced the Uchiha symbol painted on it.

"I've given up hope on this worthless clan. Because people are blinded by their clan, they lose sight of things that are truly important. A real change can't occur under restrains and controls."

"Nii-san, stop it already!" Sasuke screamed from the doorstep. With those words, Itachi suddenly calmed down, like a switched had been turned off. He then dropped to his knees.

"I didn't kill Shisui. I apologise for my behaviour."

Fugaku convinced the Police members to let Itachi in his hands before walking inside the house. Meanwhile, Itachi stayed on his knees on the ground. He turned to look at Sasuke and the little boy seemed to see something terrifying for the way his body shook.

Misaki couldn't see so she moved to stand between the brothers, first looking at Sasuke then at Itachi.

Her heart skipped a beat when she looked at the new Sharingan pattern his eyes were showing. It was the Mangekyō Sharingan, the legendary dōjutsu Shisui told her about. Shisui had awakened his when he watched his best friend die in the war so that meant…

"Itachi! How did you… what… tell me what's going on! Why is Shisui… you were there… to save him, weren't you?" She asked barely containing her tears of sadness and anger.

Itachi's eyes returned to normal and then he stood up looking at her with grief. She thought he was going to say something, but to her surprise, he simply turned and walked away.

Not wanting to leave things like that, she quickly moved to stand in his way.

"You're trying to mask your feelings but I don't need to use my skills to read you. I've known you for almost all my life and I know you're in despair. _Talk to me_."

After a few seconds, Itachi finally spoke.

"The path that I'm taking is one that you cannot follow. I've told you countless times now. But now, this is where our paths will take different ways, once and for all."

When Itachi walked past her, she felt that connexion she had felt since knowing him break. Even when he had been acting cold towards her, that link had always been there, silently telling her that everything would be fine.

But it was no longer fine.


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

Days passed but they felt like an eternity. Since the day she found out about Shisui's death, Misaki hadn't seen Itachi.

Not only she was grieving for the loss of her best friend, she had also lost the person she loved most.

She had still spend some time with Sasuke, playing with him would lift some of the weight she felt in her heart. The little boy had also been sad about Shisui's tragedy and since that day, he had also noticed the change in his brother's behaviour and the friction between his brother and his father. However, he still tried to make her smile and, in return, she did the same.

As the evening approached, Misaki headed towards the Academy to pick up Sasuke but, this time, she recognised Itachi's back on a high tree branch behind Academy. She jumped to a branch just behind him and gave a quick glance at what he was observing, finding Sasuke below working on his shuriken throw on his own.

Itachi sensed her behind him, he bowed his head then turned his face slightly to look at her.

"You found me, huh?" He asked.

"I just happened to notice you by chance, it wasn't like I was searching for you. I know you've been avoiding me for the last few days and I didn't want to bother you if wanted some space. However, I think we should talk about the other day…" She wanted to know why Itachi had turned to how he was know just after the night they spent together. Followed by Shisui's death.

"It has nothing to do with you, Misaki." Itachi interrupted her.

"Then why wou-"

"Don't follow me…" He ordered in a stern voice but then his tone softened. "Please. There's something I must do and I can't have you by my side anymore, you can't be dragged into this. You'll understand, in time..." He told her before his body turned into several black crows, leaving Misaki there on her own, her mouth slightly open. She would give him time, for now...

She stood in that tree, unconsciously watching Sasuke train, as her mind kept searching for a reason that would make Itachi like that, then she realised that it was night already. Jumping down the branch she approached Sasuke.

"Hey, Sasuke, why are you still training so late?" Misaki asked the young boy. Sasuke stopped mid throw and turned to look at her.

"Oh, hi Misaki-neesan." Sasuke noticed the street lamp behind Misaki's. "Oh, no! I didn't realise it was that late. I bet mom has already prepared dinner. She'll be upset I'm not home yet. I'll see you later!" Sasuke yelled as he started running home.

Misaki watched his running form when a chilling breeze blew all around her, a frightening shiver running through her body. What was that unnerving feeling? She thought before turning to go to a nearby food stall to get some dinner.

A while later, she was finishing her bowl of ramen when she noticed a commotion outside. Peeking her head out of the little stall curtains she noticed several shinobi and a few ANBU running in the streets and over the rooftops towards… the Uchiha compound, she realised, her eyes widening. Using her sensory mode she worked on locating little Sasuke first, remembering the chill she felt when he left, and realised that Sasuke's chakra was very faint. She quickly stood up and headed to his location.

When she finally reached the entrance to the Uchiha compound she spotted an ANBU carrying Sasuke's body, the Third Hokage walking behind them with a grim expression on his face.

"Sasuke-kun!" She yelled, reaching for him. "Why is he unconscious, Hokage-sama? What's happened? Why is everyone running here in alert?"

"Misaki." The Hokage started. "Sasuke-kun is fine, my men are taking him to the hospital just to check. This area has been closed off, so you shouldn't be here. We're dealing with a situation at the moment."

"What kind of situation? And where's Itachi?" At the mention of Itachi's name, the Hokage closed his eyes as he had been slapped on the face but stood silent.

"Hokage-sama?" Misaki asked again, feeling uneasy.

"Only because it's you, I will tell you myself: Itachi is the reason we're having this situation. He has turned against the village and killed his entire clan."

"W- what-" She gulped, feeling her throat dry. "That's… impossible. He would never do such thing. You had this all wrong, he's not-"

"Misaki, that's enough. Either accompany the ANBU escorting Sasuke to the hospital or go home. You can't get involved in this." The Hokage ordered. When he noticed her looking to up to her side where she surely was pinpointing Itachi's location he reached out to grab her wrist. "You will not go after him, it's too dangerous." He added.

She shook her arm to lose the Hokage's hold.

"No. You're wrong." She said before making the hand sign to teleport where she could sense Itachi which wasn't too far from where they were.

Misaki appeared on the rooftop of one of the tallest buildings in the village, from there her vision could reach almost every spot within the small town. Itachi was crouched on the ledge of the roof, his back to her.

"Tell me the Hokage is wrong, Itachi." She commanded. But Itachi didn't move a muscle. His eyes were fixed on the ANBU carrying Sasuke just passing close by on his way to the hospital.

"He's not." He said after a long moment, making her gasp loudly.

"That can't be true, you're lying! I know you, your ultimate goal has always been to protect Konoha. There's no way you would-"

"You're wrong." He interjected.

"No..." She said but she had lost the strength in her voice. "No…" She added a bit louder, her breathing ragged.

"Yes. I wanted to test my power. I wanted to show everyone that I'm the strongest Uchiha. I'm leaving the village so go home and stop following me."

Itachi stood up.

 _No_ … She repeated the mantra in her head. _It can't be. Everybody already knows he's the most skilled Uchiha, specially after Shisui… did he really kill him then? For the same purpose, for the Mangekyō? Why would he go to that extreme?_

Misaki, unable to accept his words, ran towards Itachi until her body collided with his back, wrapping her arms around him and trapping his arms under hers. She sensed his body tense under his clothing which reeked of blood.

" _Stop lying_!" She yelled.

Itachi easily broke the hold she had on him and took a step forward, away from her.

"Misaki, stop being a nuisance." He said without turning, his words causing a stinging pain in her chest. "I need to gain more power, I can't stay in this village playing the happy family, holding hands with you and spending the evenings eating dango by the lake. I'm going to-"

" _Enough_! Would you look at me already! If this is really it, at least have the decency to look me in the eye! Tell me the truth, I can handle it!" She yelled, grabbing Itachi's left hand and pulling it towards her, the force of the movement forcing Itachi to turn around and face her.

However, as he did, Misaki noticed that his eyes were bright with unshed tears and torment was written all over his face. He didn't want to look at her because he knew she would see past his lies, she would see the agony and sorrow inside of him. Because now, as she was glancing into his eyes, she could perfectly feel the throbbing pain within his core as if it was hers.

She stared at him questionly, a silent conversation going on between the two of them. She wanted to know the reasons of her actions but Itachi's eyes were pleading her to drop the matter. Whatever it was, he couldn't share it with her.

Misaki placed her hands on the sides of his face and the strength seemed to fade from his body. He leaned his face down, stopping when his forehead touched hers, the tears silently spilling over her.

"I really wanted to do a clean cut. But it seems I'm not strong enough to let go of you so easily." Itachi told her.

"You don't have to let go of me at all." She said in a calmed voice but inside she felt like screaming at the top of her lungs because of the turn of events. What was the reason for things going this way? Was it because there was a bigger plan that she couldn't see? A bigger destiny she could have never possibly imagine for themselves?

"I do." He said before lifting his face and placing his lips over hers. If there was time to cry tears of joy -now would be it. Wherever the real Itachi had been hiding for the past days, it was unknown to her, but he had finally come out of his hiding place.

Misaki wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, not in a sweet kind of way but in a possessive way, as if trying to convey a message to him: that she wasn't letting go. Itachi tried slowing down the kiss but Misaki held onto his neck so tight that he couldn't help but plunge his tongue and lose himself in the depths of her mouth. Misaki let out a moan, making him shiver. He was amazed that this girl's love wouldn't falter even after what he did.

Itachi leaned back and stared into her hazel eyes. His hands moved to the side of her neck, caressing her smooth skin and tugging her back to him until their mouths were a breath apart.

"My life is yours, Misaki. You have my heart in your hands. It stores the essence of everything I am. You'll enjoy life for me as I become nothing." Itachi's last words were clipped as if all his joy had just been sucked out of him.

Her breathing picked up again.

"What? No!" Itachi tried to move away from her but she held him firmly. "Whatever you have to do and wherever you have to go, I'm coming with you." She said closing her eyes and placing her face against his neck. She would do anything for him.

"Look at me." He commanded. When she did, she found his new Sharingan activated.

"Your Sharingan doesn't work on me…" She started saying but Itachi ignored her.

"You won't remember today's events." _I will break this genjutsu_. She told herself.

"You won't remember meeting me today at the Academy or just know, nor going to the compound. You will go home, sleep and wake up tomorrow as it was today. When you learn about what I've done you'll despise me as everyone else. You won't search for me or follow me and you'll stay in this village where it's safe."

 _I will break out of this. I will. I must remember_. She repeated in her head but when Itachi's final command was to close her eyes, she did and she felt the ground fell beneath her.

Drowing. She felt like drowning. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think, her heart felt like it had stopped. She tried to suck in some air but her mouth couldn't grasp any air…

Her body started to fall backwards when she felt everything around her faded into nothing.


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER 13**

Misaki woke up in the morning with a foggy mind. She was still wearing the same clothes as yesterday but she was in her bed with no recollection on how she got there.

It was another day, she thought. No Shisui, no Itachi. Since she wasn't assigned to any team, all she could do was wait until the Hokage allocated a special mission for her.

She was just finishing her breakfast when she noticed a presence outside her kitchen window. ANBU. Opening the window slightly, she found one of the members crouched on one knee there.

"You've been summoned." Was all he said.

Without wasting any time, Misaki headed to the Hokage's office, finding him there with another two ANBU. The atmosphere was intense, as if something major had occurred.

With a flick of his hand, the ANBU left the office, leaving her along with the Third.

"Hokage-sama, what's the issue?" She asked.

The Hokage seemed visibly surprised, as if he expected her to know the reason she had been called.

"Misaki, last night…"

When she looked at it expectantly, the Hokage frowned.

"Yes? What is it?"

"So you went after _him_ , after all…"

Misaki's was the one looking surprised this time. The Third let out a deep breath before taking a few steps to close the distance between them.

"I'm sorry, I don't follow."

"He's going to make me do this again… Last night, Itachi Uchiha annihilated the whole Uchiha clan, leaving Sasuke as the only survivor. He is now a traitor to Konoha and has left the village." He informed her.

The words had been heard but her brain didn't seem to be capable of understanding their meaning. Her eyes were fixed on the Hokage's face, as if trying to gauge the truth of what has been said.

For a few times, she opened her mouth as if to speak only to close it back again.

When it finally dawned in her what had just been said, her breathing picked up. She started hyperventilating.

"Misaki? I think you should sit down." He said, grabbing her arm.

Misaki moved away. Nausea started building inside of her. She put her hands on the side of her temples.

"That's impossible…" Using her sensory skills, she worked on locating Itachi's parents. Nothing. The lady from the dango shop. Nothing. The friendly man from the tea shop. Nothing. And nothing.

"Sasuke?" When she said Sasuke's name, an image of watching Sasuke throwing shuriken in the Academy grounds flashed in her mind. That had been only yesterday but the memory was somehow tainted, like there was something missing from it.

"He's in the hospital but he's fine, just exhausted."

"How…? Why would _he_ …?

The Hokage took a deep breath. "The truth behind his actions might be something we will never know… Nevertheless, a lot needs to be done after this major incident. We need to tighten our security as neighbouring countries might take the opportunity of the downfall to attack so all the shinobi has to be on extreme alert.

I know you were very close to many of the Uchiha members but, as as a Leaf kunoichi, I need to you be on the front line of our barrier team. Is that understood?" The Hokage commanded.

Misaki put her feelings aside. She will dwell on this on another time. She knew the village was in danger and she wanted to protect it at all costs.

 _April,_ _ **8 aNb**_

A few months later, Misaki was walking in the streets of Konoha. A group of 7-year old kids were running on the street, laughing cheerfully. Two girls, one with fair skin, green eyes and pink hair, another girl similar to her but with pale-blonde hair, the third boy had a rotund build and markings on his cheeks in the form of swirls. In the distance behind them, a grim-faced boy with black eyes and spiky black hair was looking down at the floor while walking behind the other kids.

"Sasuke-kun!" She called out when she recognised the last boy. Sasuke briefly looked back at her but kept on walking like he had not seen her. She ran to his side with a smile on her face.

"Hey Sasuke-kun, are you on your way to the Academy?" She asked, reaching out to him. He moved his face away, knowing her intentions, she always had a soft spot for his 'cute' looks.

"Hmph. Yes, where else would I'd be going at this hour?" He replied not looking back at her.

She ignored his blunt reply while trying to hold her smile, after all, Sasuke had fallen to the depths of darkness, full of resentment towards the rest of the world after his brother Itachi had wiped the rest of the his clan, leaving him as the last remaining survivor.

"I can pick you after class and we can go to get some sweet dumplings if you like?" She asked with little hope.

"I _hate_ those things. Misaki, stop following me around. I'm not planning to go the the cafe or the lake or all those places with you pretending that nothing's happened." He said before storming off.

Misaki sighed as she watched him walking away. He wasn't addressing her as usual, it was just Misaki now, not Misaki-neesan or Misa-nee like he used to.

It had been two months since the incident. Two long months without Itachi, the boy she gave her heart to. In her chest she felt there was a whole filled with pain and sorrow. She honestly believed they were made for each other, they had grown up together and she thought she knew who he really was, but never in a million years she would have thought that he was capable of such atrocities.

A sour taste in her mouth build up, forcing her to run to a nearby bush and emptying the contents of her stomach on it. She had been feeling nauseous for the last two weeks, hence she was on her way to the hospital to get the results of the blood test she's taken two days ago.

"Misaki, have a seat. I have the results of your tests." The female doctor announced. "I've found out the cause of your weakness, nausea and loss of appetite. It seems that you are pregnant, you're most likely on your third month."

Misaki stopped breathing, that wasn't something she expected to hear. Her heart hammered in her chest and blood roared against her eardrums like a steady warning bell.

"Misaki, take a deep breath." The doctor instructed as she placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Do you want me to call your father?" She asked when Misaki's breathing had calmed down.

"N- No, my father cannot find out! Please, don't tell him!?" She begged.

"As your doctor I can keep this confidential. However, I must inform the Hokage."

Not knowing what to do, Misaki stormed out of the room and ran to the forest behind the training grounds. This place used to be her safe place, where she would hide out from his father while secretly train with Shisui and Itachi, the boy she had loved since meeting him as a kid and now… the father of her unborn child. Now the place felt completely different, like the shadows of misery had taken over the spot.

She sat down under a tree, hanging her knees to her chest she let her tears run down her face. In a few months her state would be obvious, she wouldn't be able to hide her pregnancy. She had spent many times in the cafe or the dango shop with Shisui and Itachi, everyone would assume one of them was the father, they would know she was carrying an Uchiha.

But she couldn't let that happen, what if Itachi decided to come back and terminate what was left of the clan? No, she had to protect this child...

Deciding that she needed to leave the village until the baby was born, Misaki went back home to pack some of her clothes. The decision was hard but it the only possible outcome. She had to give up her daughter or son after she gave birth so someone could take care of him or her while she watched from the distance.

She waited until it was dark and her father was asleep to leave her house. Walking under the moonlight, she reached the gates of the village with a heaviness pressing down on her chest. Misaki glanced back at her hometown one last time but as she looked forward again, the Hokage was right in front of her.

"Hokage-sama" She whispered.

"Misaki." He began and she gulped. "Where are you going?"

"I..., I need to leave the village for a few months. Please, don't stop me..." her lower lip started to tremble.

"Talk to me. I will assist you in any way a can. Your doctor has told me about your blood test results… Is this because of your father? We can keep this hidden from him if that's what you want, the same way we've been doing while you've been conducting your ninja missions. I don't want you to leave the village, it's too dangerous."

"Thank you Hokage-sama but it's not my father I'm worrying about, it's the _baby's_ father…"

"Why would that be a problem? I'm sure we can work-... Oh." The Hokage seemed to guess who the father could be.

"Yes, it's Itachi Uchiha." Misaki confessed to the Hokage who gasped loudly. "I don't want the village to know the baby is an Uchiha, if he would ever come back to finish what he started and, found out about him… He could… Please, let me go. I don't want anything to happen to the baby."

"Oh Misaki. I don't expect Itachi to return for that purpose but I respect your wishes. I will send an ANBU with you to help you with the pregnancy, just stay close to the village." The Hokage looked to his left and an ANBU shinobi that had been hiding behind the bushes appeared next to him.

"Tsuchinoe is a medical ninja, she will accompany you from now on. As soon as the baby is born, bring it back to me and we will raise him in the orphanage. I will personally make sure that he's taken care of." _The same way I promised Itachi that I would take care of Sasuke_ , he mentally added.

"Th- thank you Hokage-sama… I don't know how could I ever repay you for all your help."

"You are part of Konoha so you are precious to me. We share a home, we share a life, and though we may not share ties of blood... you are my family, and thus, I will protect you. There's no need to thank me, Misaki."


	14. Chapter 14

Misaki and Tsuchinoe just finished camping for the night on the outskirts of Konoha. The area wasone that was always empty as it wasn't on the way to anywhere.

Misaki was sitting by the campfire, a scarf around her face due to the unusual cold weather when an ANBU with a mask resembling a dog's face with red and black markings around the eyes, sides, and mouth, approached them from the shadows.

"Tsuchinoe-san, I'm here to relieve you temporarily from your duty. Two members of ANBU have encountered an enemy lurking inside the perimeter and they need medical attention. The enemy has fled so it's safe for you to go there now." The ANBU instructs Tsuchinoe.

"How were they caught by surprise? Surely they knew the enemy was in the area beforehand?" Tsukinoe asked.

"We don't know yet, he somehow managed to cross the barrier jutsu unnoticed. Go now and treat the wounded. I'll wait here for the time being."

Tsuchinoe left to aid her comrades.

 _Cross the barrier jutsu unnoticed? Only someone with previous knowledge of the jutsu formula can do that… oh no… Itachi. He's the only shinobi that would still know. Have the Hokage forgotten to change the formula?_

Misaki concentrated on sensing her surroundings, her heart skipping a beat when she located Itachi moving away from the village. Unconsciously, she started panting.

In a quick movement she stood up, her body on alert and in fight mode as she walked backwards till her back hit a nearby tree.

The ANBU eyed her warily before approaching her slowly. He had noticed her panicked eyes. When Misaki noticed him in front of her, she was surprised to see a Sharingan on his left eye. _Kakashi of the Sharingan, Itachi's former ANBU captain_.

"What is it?" He asked.

"It- The enemy is heading west. We're fine." She answered and then sat down on the ground.

Kakashi did a sweep of the area to be safe before he sat on the branch of the tree opposite to her. After a while, he looked intensely at his right hand for a moment before dropping it and staring at the stars above him. He stayed silent.

Misaki noticed a look of emptiness in his eyes that she'd seen many times, it was the same look that could be seen on her eyes when she looked at herself in the mirror.

"Do you think all this fighting and hatred in the shinobi world will ever end?" She asked him.

Surprised, Kakashi looked at her. He seemed to be deciding for a minute whether to answer or not.

"For a time I thought someone I knew was going to change Konoha and the shinobi world, that he would stop the meaningless deaths… but he died protecting the village. I wish that dream could come true but it seems like an impossible task for anyone" He finally answered.

"I guess we're doomed to live in the never changing world of Shinobi. I used to know someone like your friend but it turned out I knew nothing about him, I understood nothing..." Misaki sighed. She was thinking of Itachi.

Kakashi spared one last glance at her before he turned around, his back to her.

 _October,_ _ **8 aNb**_ _-_ _4 months later_

"Misaki, look at me. You can do this but you need to breath like I've shown you before, the more oxygen you get the easier it'll get to handle your contractions. Come on: in through your nose and out through your mouth." Tsuchinoe instructed calmly.

She took a deep breath but as another contractions hit her hard, she screamed.

"I can't do this! It really hurts!" She started crying uncontrollably.

 _Misaki_. She suddenly heard Itachi's voice as she spotted an image of Itachi next to the bed. She turned her face to the other side thinking she'd lost her mind. The voice called out to her again and looking back she found Itachi's image smiling.

 _You're amazing, we haven't found a thing you cannot do!_ Misaki realised this was a memory of Itachi from last year, he said that to her after Shisui and him taught her a complicated shuriken jutsu that she was able to execute quickly and without difficulty.

 _You can do it_ , the voice says. Misaki closed her eyes and concentrated on the voice, her breathing becoming more rhythmic and her body started to relax.

Tsuchinoe informed her it was time to push, she did so with all of her strength and after a few moments the pain was gone. When her eyes opened and she could see the image of Itachi smiling down at her. _I've done it, Itachi. You're a father now and I'm a mother_ , she thought before her newborn's first cry filled the room.

"It's a boy! Congratulations Misaki, do you have a name?" Tsuchinoe asked as she brought the little bundle of joy to her.

"Tetsuya, like my older brother." she answered as she held the baby for the very first time.

The baby looked up at her with dazzling bright eyes, his tiny mouth opening and closing. He already had a full head of black hair and when he reached up and held onto her finger, she felt her face splitting into a wide grin. At that moment Misaki felt like her heart which had only been causing her pain was starting to mend with the warmth of her son in her arms. Exhausted, she let her eyes close.

A few hours later Tsuchinoe woke her up. "You've done good, Misaki. How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine, just a bit hungry" She replied.

"I've made some lunch. Eat up now and then we can go back to the village."

Saddened at the prospect of having to be separated from her son so soon, she approached Tetsuya's sleeping form and caressed his face. She knew she had to do it, it was the only way to keep him safe.

"I love you Tetsuya, my son. I'll always be watching over you."


	15. Chapter 15

_October,_ _ **9 aNb**_

Misaki was on her way to the orphanage. Today was a special day, it was Tetsuya's first birthday. Thanks to the Hokage, she'd been working there for two days a week so she could stay close to her son. Apart from him, no one was aware of this fact. She had watched him grow so quick, day after day she had seen him resemble his father more and more, even his longish hair had been taking on the same shape.

She spent the rest of the days working on the village's archives organising the documents containing the history of the Five Great Countries and lists of jutsu. Finding some interesting genjutsu she'd asked for the Hokage's permission to share them with Kurenai, knowing that this was her speciality, and they both worked on a genjutsu where their bodies dissolve to trap the enemy. When executing it, Kurenai's body had dissolved into flower petals while hers broke down into birds.

Arriving to the toddlers' room she placed the cake she brought with her on a nearby table when she heard Tetsuya's babbling directed at her. He was already standing up and with wobbly legs started walking towards her.

"Hey, little man. Happy birthday!" She held the toddler on her arms and placed her gift, a teddy bear, in front of him. "Look what I brought you, do you like it?" She asked wiggling the toy and making him giggle.

The child stopped giggling to place his tiny hands on her face and looked at her with big dark bright eyes. Misaki gasped at the sight of him, he looked so much like Itachi. _My handsome boy_ , she thought as she held him closer.

"One already, huh?" She heard the Hokage ask from the door. "He's quickly growing into a handsome little man…" There was worry in his voice. The resemblance was uncanny.

"Hokage-sama… he definitely is. But I think he needs a haircut, don't you Tetsu?" She asked the boy who simply laughed. His laughter was so contagious that her and the Hokage couldn't help but join.

After celebrating her son's birthday with the rest of the children, colleagues and the Hokage, she kissed Tetsuya goodbye with a heavy heart. She really disliked parting from him, especially as he always cried when she did.

She went to her favourite cafe and ordered some dango to take away. Deciding she needed to spend some time out in the nature, she climbed the cliff over the river and sat with her legs dangling over the edge, where she could see the village while the sun set, marvelling at the stunning colours before her.

For the last year she'd managed to avoid letting memories of Itachi out of the corner of her mind where she had locked them. However, today they've slipped through her barriers and everywhere she's been, seen, heard or even smell has reminded her of him. She thought with time her wounded heart would heal but, as she picked one of the three-colour dango from the bag, her eyes overflowed with tears.

The more she cried the more upset she became. Misaki was conflicted with her need to despise the person who caused a monstrosity before abandoning her, and the longing for the kind-hearted boy she loved so deeply. As she kept on sobbing, she dropped the sweets in her hand by accident but she reached down to grab them. Forgetting for a second where she was, she found herself in midair before turning and grasping with one hand the edge of the cliff to avoid falling to a clear death, the sweets falling hundreds of metres down and onto the gravel by the river.

A black crow alighted next to her hand and looked down at her, his head tilting to the side.

"You seem to be thinking of a way to help me, huh?" She chuckled at her own remark, then she used her other hand to grab onto the edge, did a handstand, turned and stood upright. As she did, she noticed the last rays of sunlight fading into the horizon.

When it was the three of them, Shisui, Itachi and her, they usually camped out in the open quite often. The enjoyed laying down on the ground to watch the starry sky while listening to the firewood burn. It had been awhile since she'd done it, only camping when necessary while out on missions, so she decided to stay out there for the night.

Misaki grabbed some wood and placed it on a pile on the ground, taking the advantage of the fire style jutsu to create a small fireball to light the campfire. Going back to the edge of the cliff she picked up the bag with the remaining dumplings and returned to enjoy the sweets while looking at the fire.

The flames shimmered, flickering and swaying from side to side. Watching it calmed and soothed her heavy heart. The memory of the Hokage telling her about the 'Will of Fire' entered her mind. He told her that this feeling was passed from parent to child. From teacher to student. From friend to friend.

People's feelings were tied to each other. Connected.

This 'Fire' or connection couldn't be easily put out and it would still burn bright. No matter how much time passed, Misaki was marked with the memories of those who had come before her, and that's why the fire seemed to be such a comfort.

Similar to the Will of Fire, the bond between Itachi and her was for life.

Glancing up at the sky she observed the stars above her wondering if Itachi was looking at it from wherever in the world he was right now...

 _Itachi, what are you doing now?  
_  
The loud noise of a crow caw woke her up. She opened one eye to see into the daylight and found it standing next to her face but quickly flew away. Behind the place it'd just been, Misaki noticed a snake crawling towards her so she swiftly stood up, grabbed its neck then threw it to the forest.

She studied the crow now standing on a rock, a bizarre feeling emanating from it before it flew to where she was and began to circle her. _Did it wake me up on purpose because of the snake?_ After a couple of rounds it moved towards the forest, landing on a tree branch and looking back at her. _He wants me to follow him?  
_  
After a slight hesitation she started to follow the crow through the trees, walking for hours until the forest become so dense there was barely any light coming through. The crow speeded up but she started having trouble keeping up as her body began to feel so heavy she could barely walk. When she tried teleporting she realised that there was some sort of chakra interference and was unable to do so.

The crow dissolved into the forest as it cawed, the sound of its echoes fading until the only noise she could hear was her own heart. _What is this? Genjutsu? It can't be, it's something else. There's a barrier of some sort.._. She concentrated hard in gathering her chakra and sensing her surroundings but realised that she couldn't sense anything at all around her. _That's not possible, I should be able to sense at least the life energy from the trees and the plants under my feet_.

She assembled all of her chakra into her core, compacting it to its maximum before releasing it all in one go. The yellow sphere of her chakra around her became visible and as it expanded it, it burnt the fake image of the dark forest to reveal a completely different land, bursting with light and colour.

Looking at the sky above her she caught sight of enormous flying birds circling above her just before diving down in her direction. Earlier than she could react, another bird landed beside her, its right wing extended above her as it screeched at the others to scare them away. She gulped and looked at the bird, for the looks of it, a golden eagle but about ten times bigger. She was wary of its next move.

The eagle stayed still while observing her so Misaki decided to take a step closer. The bird lowered its head to her eye level and she felt like it was reading into her soul. She stroked its soft feathers for a time until the eagle flapped its wings and began to rise above her.

One of the feathers fell but as she raised her arm to grab it, the feather made contact with the inside of her wrist, burning on contact. When she looked at her arm she could see it dissolving into multiple smaller eagles as her genjutsu did days ago, and as the eagle cried, darkness surrounded her.

Misaki opened her eyes and sat up quickly. It was morning, she was next to the fireplace, the crow next to her. _Oh, that was just a dream_ , she thought as she raised her hand to move the hair from her face but, she had to stop midway as she spotted a marking on her wrist. It was a tattoo of the shape of a large feather breaking into smaller bird shapes.


	16. Chapter 16

Jiraiya was waiting patiently in the meeting point the Hokage had told him to be in order to meet his informant. He was currently sitting on a big rock in a remote area of Kirigakure, the Village Hidden by Mist. Befitting its name, the village was surrounded by a thick mist, with several mountains in the background, making it difficult to find by foreigners.

The shift in the atmosphere around him let him know that the informant had arrived without having to turn around and look.

"Just on time." He told his informant.

"Jiraiya-sama…"

Jiraiya turned around and found Itachi wearing a black cloak with red clouds printed on it. It was the clothing the members of the Akatsuki always wore.

"Itachi, never thought it would be you… So you're part of the Akatsuki now."

"Yes, it's the only way to keep an eye on this dangerous group. Their current objective right now is to obtain enough money to support the organisation but the actual objective behind it has to be bigger than that. I'm yet to find out but I'm sensing it has something to do with the powers of the tail beasts. That includes Naruto Uzumaki." Itachi quickly briefed Jiraiya.

"Naruto… I will keep an eye on him. Anything on Orochimaru's location?"

"He was a member of the Akatsuki until recently. He tried to take over my body, as expected, he was after the Sharingan, but after he failed, he left the organisation. I wish I could tell you where he went."

Jiraiya sighed.

"It seems I'm always one step behind. Thank you anyway. I don't want to keep you long and jeopardize this cover. I will pass the intel to Hiruzen." Jiraiya said before standing.

"Jiraiya-sama…" Itachi began but stopped, unsure of what to say.

"Sasuke is safe, Hiruzen is keeping his word as promised." Jiraiya answered his silent question.

"Please let the Hokage know that I'm grateful…"

"Anything else?" Jiraiya sensed there was.

"How... How is Misaki doing…?" He finally asked.

The Sannin thought about the question for a moment. He knew what Itachi had done for the village was something extremely difficult, especially having to leave his younger brother behind and forcing the boy to hate him for everything he'd done. But now, he realised that the pain had been even greater because standing in front of him, Itachi, the shinobi that never lost his composure, seemed to crumble when Misaki's name left his lips. He had known they were close after growing up together but it was obvious there was more than met the eye.

"I didn't speak to her when I went to the village to meet Hiruzen but I did see her and a young Chūnin playing with some children in the Orphanage where she is currently working. She looked happy, even after everything that she's been through."

Itachi closed his eyes as he tried to calm his breathing. When he opened them again, he was back to his old self.

"Good." He said like he didn't mean it.

"She's special. Misaki might look delicate and in need of protection, but she's one of the toughest person I've ever met. You don't have to worry about her. Goodbye, Itachi."

Misaki had just finished having a coffee with her friend Kurenai and now she was wandering around the streets of Konoha when she reached the hot springs. Thinking a hot bath would do her good, she took a step into the entrance but stood still. There wasn't any noise other than the laughter of the women enjoying a hot bath.

Sensing a presence, she stepped back and looked to her right but she couldn't see anyone still. She narrowed her eyes and went to the spot where she was sensing someone.

"What did I tell you about peeping in this village, old man? You and your Transparent jutsu..." She yelled out loud and then she could hear the screams of the women inside the hot springs.

Jiraiya materialised in front of her, both his hands up in surrender.

"Hey Misaki, your sensory skills are as sharp as ever I see… it's been a long time."

"And you are as pervy as usual... But yeah, it's been almost seven years, sensei." She accused.

"Sorry about that. I really wanted to come back earlier and finish your training but I've been tracking Orochimaru's movements and kind of lost track of time. Yet I heard you made Chūnin after I left so you really didn't need me, there wasn't much else I could have taught you!"

"Yeah, I guess… what's the point anyway…" Misaki said with little emotion.

"Hey, now. What's with this sulking, it's so unlike you. Tell me, what is it?" Jiraiya insisted.

"No offense but, of all the people in the village, you'd be the last person who could help me, sensei."

"So this is about a boy, huh? Don't you know I'm an expert in the looove field?" He chuckled but stopped when he noticed Misaki staring of into the distance.

"Do you think there's only one person in this world meant for another?" She questioned after a moment of silence.

"I see… I'm really not the best person to answer that since I write love stories where there is one perfect, preordained partner destined for another, soulmates that think alike, never fight and are connected spirit-to-spirit but can't be happy with anyone else.

But that idea is more fantasy than reality. Destiny might have another plan, it might give a glimpse of what the couple promised each other, but just because it's "meant-to-be", doesn't guarantee that it would work. True soulmates would have a synchronicity that flood each other's awareness and are able to sense when the other is distressed or have negative emotional currents.

When people believe they have found a soulmate it's hard to let go, but please, don't do the same mistake. You can learn from that person but don't let him hold you back. You will know when you find your _true_ soulmate, the one you spend the rest of your days with. You should never give up on anything, but mostly, never give up on love."

They stayed quiet for a while, simply watching the water of the nearby stream run until Misaki wiped the silent tears from her face and turned to face Jiraiya. His words had really hit a spot making her wonder if he knew more than he let it show.

"Thank you, sensei."

"I know it can be hard but, if you have a deep emotional attachment to a circumstance in your life and you're asked to let go, it can often feel like you're being asked to move on and forget about the past, person, or event that you're deeply connected to. That's not what you should do." Jiraiya added.

"Some attachments are so deeply woven into the fiber of my being they seem impossible to forget."

"Letting go is not about forgetting or forgiving. It takes time and it might be a work in progress for a long time. But I know you'll figure it out."

Jiraiya started to slowly move back to his original spot but Misaki grabbed his ear and pulled him away from his peeping place.

"Don't test me, old man! Let's move, I need you to show me the Summoning jutsu."

"Ok, ok! But we need to find your animal affiliation and get you a contract with it." He said rubbing his abused hear.

Misaki showed him the the marking on her wrist.

"Does this count?"

Jiraiya inspected it closely.

"Hmm… It makes sense. Eagles are known for their perception, timing and accuracy. An eagle approaches someone as an invitation to look at things with new eyes, so I think is very fitting, don't you?"

"I guess. So how do I summon it?"

"This marking is better than a contract and it's faster because you won't need hand seals. All you have to do is draw some of your blood across it and then gather enough chakra through your hand. You won't need me for this, try it in the morning and let me know.." He finished explaining quickly before running off to continue his 'research'.

"Sen-seeeeii!" She yelled but didn't bother to run after him.


	17. Chapter 17

_August,_ _ **13 aNb**_ _\- 4 years later_

 _Itachi' POV_

"Do you know where he is?" Kisame asked me as we stood by the entrance of what used to be my hometown once.

"Yes. Let's go." I answered. The cover I used for Kisame and I to come to the village was to check Konoha's security after the death of the Third Hokage. It was an opportunity that the Akatsuki couldn't miss because they, or us, I should say, were after the power of the Tailed Beasts.

At this time of the day, anyone would've known where Naruto was so we ended up on the dango cafe next to Naruto's favourite ramen place. As expected, he was there and already placing an order.

The cafe's owner brought up my usual order, a double order of dango and a green tea, without asking and a cup of tea for Kisame. We both had large hats covering our faces but somehow, he knew who I was even after being away for five years. He also knew we weren't here for the dango.

I guessed that the owner had alerted the Jōnin, because Kakashi Hatake was now posted by the cafe's entrance, reading his usual book nonchalantly. He tore his eyes from the book to salute someone else.

"Hey, you two are looking good..."

"I just came to get some sweets for Anko…" A female voiced answered. It was probably Kurenai and she sounded flustered. "And since when do you have a sweet tooth, Kakashi?"

"I'm just here to wait for _someone_ , Sasuke that is…"

At the mention of my little brother, I couldn't help but grab the cup in my hand tighter. _He_ was the real reason I was here. I wanted to make sure he was safe and I wanted to let Danzō know that I would still keep an eye on him, should he even considered laying a hand on my brother.

Sasuke suddenly turned up. I could see him clearly, he had grown so much and I was glad to see he was looking healthy.

"Kakashi? It's not like you to be the one waiting." My brother accused his sensei without addressing him politely. He seemed to be in a foul mood but I couldn't blame him, his older brother betrayed him years ago, something he should never be forgiven for.

Watching him with my own eyes was all I needed so I signalled Kisame to get out of there fast. We had been made and for the looks of it, Kakashi had also alerted another two shinobi.

We were going through the back door when I heard another female voice speak, halting my steps and forcing me to look back.

"Hey Sasuke-kun, are you here for some dango?"

It was Misaki's voice. Misaki was a mere distance from me. I had to use all my will to stop my body from turning to go to her. Five years had passed but my feelings towards her had not subsided in the least.

"I don't have much of a sweet tooth, let's go eat somewhere _else_ Kakashi." Sasuke replied coldly and turned away from her. The hash tone in his voice was nothing like the way he used to speak to her. I expected his hatred towards me but, why Misaki? She was family to him, Sasuke should've turn to her after our parents and I were no longer there for him. I always thought that at least they had each other when I was no longer there.

"Why are we running away? The fox kid was just there." Kisame questioned.

"Three Jōnin had already mobilised so I'm sure the ANBU would be on their way soon. Those two outside the cafe were trouble enough for the both of us. We're not here to take on a full battle."

"You two! Stop right there!" Asuma yelled as him and Kurenai blocked our path.

Without hesitating, Kisame and I began attacking, we had to take them down before reinforcements arrived. We weren't fast enough because Kakashi reached us before we made it out.

Kakashi was the biggest threat, and since I had worked with him in the past, I had a better chance to defeat him.

After a couple of blows, I was able to stand behind him, my kunai starting to pierce his back. However, I expected him to be a clone, Kakashi always sent a one against the enemy on his first attack while he observed from a hiding place.

"Kakashi!" I heard Misaki scream from the other side of the lake, and not a second later, she had teleported next to Kakashi and grabbed my wrist to stop it for pushing the kunai any further. The feeling of her warm hand against my skin was the best thing I had felt in the last five years.

Kakashi's water clone dissolved in that moment. Misaki seemed to feel relieved for a second before she looked up and stared into my Sharingan. Her breathing stopped when she realised to whom the Sharingan belonged to.

"I-Itachi, w-what are you doing here?" She choked out. Her eyes had recognised the person standing in front of her but her mind seemed frozen and unable to make the connexion to the person she once knew. I couldn't blame her, I had become a monster in her eyes.

"Misaki, long time no see. I'm impressed, you've managed to master Shisui's body flicker technique. You're almost as fast he used to be." I said in a business-like voice, pretending that I didn't feel regret for all the things I did to her. Pretending that I didn't love her still and pretending that saying my dead best friend's name didn't affect me at all. The way she clenched her teeth let me know _that_ bothered her.

Kisame took the opening and appeared behind her. With her speed, Misaki should've moved away from the danger but instead, she stood there, unmoving. Did she not realise she was exposed?

"Well, well... What do we have here? A friend of yours, Itachi-san?" Kisame asked menacingly while looking down at her.

I narrowed my eyes at him, I didn't want him to lay a hand on her but I couldn't say that out loud, that would blow my cover. Luckily, Kakashi materialised behind Misaki, grabbing her body with both of his arms and pulled her from between us. The familiar way he touched her was something that didn't bode well with me.

"Snap out of it and stay on your toes. This guy was made chief of ANBU black ops when he was only 13." Kakashi seemed frustrated.

"I know, he used to be my _friend_ when he was promoted." She whispered, surprising the other Jōnin. Friend? Why should _that_ bother me?

"Kurenai, stay back, you look hurt. I'll take Itachi down myself. He killed my friend Shisui." She said making Kurenai gasp.

"Close your eyes! Don't look at his eyes!" Kakashi yelled as he spotted the Mangekyō I had just activated. "You three, whatever you do don't look at his eyes. I'm going to have to do this alone. My Sharingan against his." He told, Misaki, Kurenai and Asuma.

Misaki moved to his side.

"Kakashi, I have experience fighting against his Sharingan, I'll fight with you." She said, looking into my eyes without an ounce of fear.

Up until now, Kakashi was the biggest threat, but now, Misaki had become my weakness. Not only because I didn't want to hurt her, but because she was the only person capable of taking me down. She knew all my vulnerable points, she knew my fighting style, and not only she had more stamina and speed than I, she could also counteract my Sharingan. Surely Kakashi's Sharingan could delay the effects, but Misaki's power was greater.

"Your fight is with me." Kisame announced, appearing to her left and swinging his sword against her. Misaki avoided the attack and jumped in the air.

"Fire Style: Art of the Phoenix Flower!" Only my Sharingan was able to read the hand signs before she sent multiple balls of flame towards Kisame and I.

Kisame used his sword to avoid getting hit while I quickly moved to Kakashi and released the Tsukuyomi on him, trapping him on the powerful genjutsu. I didn't want to kill him but I had to incapacitate him somehow.

"Kakashi! No!" Misaki moved to help him without paying attention to Kisame who didn't waste time in landing a kick on her. It wasn't like her to lose her cool and I imagined it had something to do with Kakashi.

I took pity on him, he had suffered enough so I released him from the Tsukuyomi and Kakashi dropped to his knees, exhausted but alive.

Misaki ran to his side to check on him as Kisame approached me.

"He's still alive? Hmm, don't overuse your eyes, Itachi-san."

"Kisame, we'll take Kakashi with us. Get rid of the rest." I ordered, looking at Misaki. I was pleading with my eyes for her to not get involved in this fight. However, as Kisame was running towards the Konoha shinobi, Guy appeared and kicked Kisame, stopping him on his tracks and sending back to my location.

"Kurenai, get Kakashi to the medical corp. We'll take care of them until the ANBU arrives." Guy announced.

Kisame prepared to attack again but I stopped him, we had to avoid a full scale battle. So we teleported out of there, knowing that they wouldn't follow us without the backup of the ANBU.


	18. Chapter 18

_January,_ _ **16 aNb**_ _\- 3 years later_

 _Itachi's POV_

Kakashi and Misaki's teams had wiped out the clone I had sent to buy some time while we took Gaara to our hideout. There, we would extract the Tailed Beast inside of him. This was the goal of the Akatsuki, to concentrate the power of all the nine beast into one. Since I couldn't blow my cover at this point, I had to help them.

Watching Misaki through my clone had seemed easier than when I had been face to face with her a few years ago. Since that meeting, certain feelings I had buried had began to emerge against my will. I had been tempted to go back to the village to see her one more time but I knew that wouldn't do either of us any good. She had her own life and I had no part in it anymore.

And now that she had discovered that they had been fighting a clone, it was a matter of time until she would locate me and come after me.

"Kisame, you go ahead. I'll take care of them." I told my partner. Taking two teams at once was going to be tough, but at least I'd be able to minimise their casualties. I would keep Misaki safe. With Kisame out of the picture, that was something I could control, since I knew she would stand between Kisame and anyone in danger.

"Yeah, yeah…" He said, a tone of suspicion in his voice. Kisame wasn't stupid after all but I was grateful he was going along with my request.

After long moments, the Konoha shinobi reached my location and surrounded me. I stayed impassive while looking at the group, my eyes staying a second longer when they met Misaki's, something Kakashi didn't miss.

"Misaki, it's been a while." I couldn't help but address her. She ignored me.

The fight began, the Konoha shinobi had paired up for their attacks. Misaki and Kakashi, Naruto and a little boy with dark hair, Sakura and Chiyo-sama, one of the elders from Gaara's village.

I took Kakashi quickly this time since I had tired him on our previous fight and then Misaki tried to buy time while Naruto and the boy prepared their attack.

Sensing Naruto above me, I switched my stance and avoided his Rasengan, elbowing him down in the process as I twisted. I turned back again, knowing that the other boy's attack was next, my kunai ready to strike him and take him out of the fight. For such a young age, he was remarkable.

I pushed my kunai towards a spot that wouldn't hit a vital spot but, all of a sudden, Misaki materialised before the boy, her back to me. She flicked his Rasengan towards the side and then pushed the boy away, making her body crash into my kunai. Although my Sharingan had register the movement, my body had been too slow to avoid the weapon piercing her back, and as I looked down, I could see its tip now sticking out of her chest.

"Misaki, w-why... I'm sorry..." I whispered so only she could hear, my eyes closing to fight the tears from forming. Switching my emotions off during the clan massacre had been relatively easy but, killing the woman I loved and without premeditation, was even harder than killing my parents.

"Tetsuya, run!" She suddenly screamed.

That name… that was the name of Misaki's older brother. I opened my eyes to look at the boy that shared the name of someone precious to Misaki, only to find him looking at me with a two-tomoe Sharingan. He seemed to have just awaken them for the raw pain on his face.

"Let go of my sensei right now or I will kill you!" Tetsuya bit out before I could process what I was seeing. There shouldn't be anyone other than Sasuke, me and Madara with our clan's dōjutsu. I had made sure of that.

I removed the kunai from Misaki's back and set her down softly on the ground. I then released Chiyo-sama from my previous genjutsu, hoping that she could save Misaki with her medical ninjutsu. It was a long shot but not impossible with her knowledge. She was known for being one of the most talented medical ninjas in the Five Great Shinobi countries. Misaki had to live, my mission involved a future for her and Sasuke. Otherwise, what was I fighting for?

Tetsuya attacked me with all his new strength, the child was extremely fast and strong even though he didn't look older than 7 years old. Seven? The number trigger a warning bell in the back of my mind… I quickly analysed the options.

So he must've been conceived before I slaughtered the clan and born afterwards… but that was impossible since there was no one left. Unless… it had been a non-Uchiha female. Relationships with non-members of the clan were not common, the rate was lower than 2% and all of them were females. I knew that because I recollected all that information as part of my ANBU mission. The only exception at that time was… me.

My body stopped moving, taking a kick to the face from the boy. I ignored the pain.

I grabbed his shirt and looked at his face closely as he struggled to get away from my hold. It felt like looking in a mirror.

 _Impossible_.

Flashbacks of Misaki holding onto my neck with desire in her eyes appeared in my mind, followed by an image of her face smiling with pleasure, our bodies joined together as one. The memory was from a bit more than seven years ago but it was so clear in my mind that it seemed like it happened only recently. Even my body was reacting to it as warmth start spreading from my chest.

I shook my head trying to clear the image.

I turned to look at her, her hand was extended in my direction. There were tears in her eyes, not from pain but from fear for the boy's life. The life that we had created, together.

This was… our son. My blood ran in his veins, the Uchiha blood. The one that allowed him to awaken the Sharingan. The first time I laid eyes on Sasuke, a duty of protection grew in me but now, looking at my flesh and blood, the feeling was, well, I couldn't express it into words.

During the last seven years, Misaki had raised our son without me knowing anything about it. She'd had to protect him by herself from anyone that… Ah, stupid me. That look of fear was directed towards me. I was her biggest fear, the Uchiha killer. While now that I had discovered the truth and would never think of harming my own son, in Misaki's eyes I was capable of breaking his neck for his Sharingan and showing no remorse for doing so.

" _I didn't speak to her… but I did see her and some young Chūnin playing with some children in the Orphanage where she is currently working."_ Jiraiya had said when I asked him about Misaki. That Chūnin had been Tetsuya for sure. She had opted to keep their relationship a secret so nobody could make the connection with me. Clever.

Unable to do anything else, I let go of the boy. He looked at me with questioning eyes, maybe he wondered why we looked so alike. Did he maybe noticed the tremor in my hands?

I fled. I couldn't keep the pretense that I didn't care for anything. Whatever I'd been using until now to keep my emotions in check didn't work anymore. So I turn my back to the woman I loved and the child I've met mere minutes ago but I already loved like never before.


	19. Chapter 19

_Itachi's POV_

"There's someone coming for us," Kisame told me as we stood under the pouring rain.

"I'm aware of it. I'll take care of it, you go ahead." _Misaki, why are you doing? You are no match for both of us after our recent fight_..

"Hmm, you don't fool me, my friend. Even before I saw the boy's Sharingan... well, he's the spitting image of you and clearly very talented. The way that girl protected him let me know that she's the boy's mother. But don't worry, I'll let you to it." Kisame disappeared as Misaki reached my location.

I turned around, my face emotionless but concerned about Kisame's knowledge of my son. Misaki was looking around, obviously worried that she wasn't able to sense Kisame who had the skill to become completely undetected, even under Misaki's sensory skills which could sense me while hiding my chakra. Giving up, she looked at me and took a deep breath.

"You _promised_." She accused. My eyebrow twitched involuntarily. I knew what she was referring to. It was the day I first kissed her. " _I will never, ever stop loving you_." I said to her. I've kept my promise but she didn't know that.

"I will hurt you if you try to stop me, Misaki." I warned her in a harsh tone, hoping to make her back down. I wasn't going to but, was I ready to tell her the truth?

"There's no way you can hurt me any more than what you already have, Itachi." Her words sliced me like someone had just stabbed me with a kunai.

"I need to know the truth. Since I met you all you ever wanted was to stop the fighting in the shinobi world. You wanted to protect the village, your clan and above all, your brother Sasuke.

I want to know what changed that. Tell me why you killed Shisui and the rest of your clan and mainly, whether you're planning to end what you started, since… there is another member of the Uchiha." Misaki said looking down at the ground.

I couldn't watch her suffer like that. I never wanted to hurt her. I had to confess the truth to her, and maybe, just maybe, she'd understand.

I moved quickly and materialised in front of her. Startled, she stupidly, as she should know better, looked up right into my Mangekyō, falling into my genjutsu. I didn't have the words to explain it all but I could show the truth instead.

***

 _You were always able to look right into my soul..._ I tell her through the genjutsu. ... _until I shut you out, afraid that you would see the intentions I had regarding my clan. I had to, because I couldn't take you with me on the path that I had chosen_.

I showed her a compilation of memories of Shisui. " _If the fighting can be stopped, I'd like to stop it._ " He had told us many years ago. I continued with another more recent memory of Shisui and me by the cliff over the river that crossed the north side of the village.

" _There's no way to stop the Uchiha's attack to the village. If this happens, the neighbouring countries will invade and war will begin_. _Protect the village and the Uchiha name as well. I know you will find a solution, however long it takes you, Itachi. I'm sorry I won't be able to go with you through the path you chose but I hope you won't falter from it. Take care of Sasuke and Misaki_."

In the memory, Shisui removes the Sharingan he has left and gives it to me. Danzo has stolen the other one. I call out a crow and Shisui planted the Sharingan on it, I had keep it safe and away from the Konoha elder.

Shisui moves to the edge of the cliff. " _Thank you for everything, as a gift from your friendship I will leave you with a new power. See you, my friend_." He ultimately said before jumping of the edge and falling to his death.

The pain of not being able to stop this, resulting in my best friend's death, was hard to contain but it also awakened my Mangekyō, giving me more power. Since Misaki was inside my genjutsu, our feelings are shared and I could feel her pain as she also felt the pain from my memory.

 _I chose the path that would lead to the future of the village, the one that would save my younger brother and the Uchiha. For that, I chose to walk in darkness with those eyes. It was Shisui who taught me that a true shinobi protects peace from the shadows_. I continued.

 _It has been very tough path but it was the memories of you, Sasuke and Shisui that kept me going_. I went through some memories of us training and playing together, followed by a collection of memories of her smiling.

 _Your smile was like a balm to my soul, it helped me stayed on this path. I would think of you whenever I felt I couldn't go on as it reminded me of why I took this path in the first place_.

As I let her see herself through my eyes, I hoped that she could also see my feelings.

When I released her from the genjutsu, Misaki was breathing heavily.

"I kept my promise to you, Misaki. I've never stopped loving you and that has kept me strong all this time. You knew deep down that I didn't kill Shisui and that there was a reason for what I did. That's why you're here now.

Now you know. I did this for you, for Sasuke and for the village. What I didn't know is that I was also doing it for _our_ son." Silent tears started pouring down from her eyes. She was probably not aware of them.

"I wish I could've seen him grow, I wish I could've been there to teach him how to play, to perform jutsu and all the other things fathers are supposed to do with their children… but I can see you've done a magnificent job. I'm proud of you."

Misaki started sobbing then. Maybe she had dreamt of a world where I never left the village and had stayed with her, watching our son grow, together, as a family.

I shuddered just imagining that.

I wasn't the kind of man that regretted his actions but, for the first time in years, I did. If only I'd known earlier then maybe I could've done things differently. But now it was too late to do anything.

I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around her, pressing her body against mine. The heat of our bodies soaking through our wet clothes seemed to calm and relax her. Now that I've told her the truth, I felt that an enormous weight had been lifted from my chest. And I guessed that it was the same for her. Even though I tried to have a clean break when I left, I knew that it must've been so hard for her to just believe what everyone else in the village did.

Because she knew the _real_ me.

I looked at her, wishing I could stay with her forever. What a foolish dream. We couldn't be together ever again.

"Please take care of Tet-Tetsuya…" The instant I said my son's name for the first time, a smile formed in my lips and an amazing feeling was kindled deep inside my soul.

I leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her lips. For a moment, it felt that all these past years and events had never occurred, and for that short instance, it felt like everything was going to be okay.

She then said the words she never said in the past.

"Itachi, I will love you, always."

My soul had been restored with those words.


	20. Chapter 20

Sasuke has won. His long dream of defeating the person who had killed his parents and the rest of the clan has finally come true.

I wanted to die at the hands of my little brother so he could be seen as a hero. I'm glad he managed to do it before my illness took me from the living world before Sasuke could fulfil his goal. Yet, things hadn't gone as I expected. Sasuke had turned to darkness, he was so deep in it that it would take a miracle to bring him back to the light.

I couldn't move on yet. So I waited here, where _here_ is I'm not entirely sure. I guess I'm in between the world of the living and the world of the dead. There's nothing here, just emptiness. But from here, I can keep an eye on my brother as he struggles with the _real_ truth about me that the bastard Tobi had shown him.

Sasuke wasn't supposed to know that I sacrificed myself for him and for the village. He wasn't supposed to feel regret for killing me and he definitely wasn't supposed to suffer for it. Because of what he knows now, he's turned against the village that was once his home and is prepared to kill anyone that stands in his way. In his eyes, the village elders had taken advantage of me but it was me that chose this path.

It's painful to watch but I feel like I still have a chance of making some amends. There has to be a way…

There's a tingling running in my spine. Someone is passing through this dimension, someone I know.

Misaki's body appears in front of my eyes. She's lying on the ground with her eyes closed. Why is she here? I can't accept that she has died, it's too soon. Too damn soon.

Since I've been watching Sasuke I have no idea what's happened but looking at the village now, I can see the destruction that Pain has caused. Naruto is still fighting against him, his former classmates watching over the dead bodies of Misaki, Kakashi and many others. This is terrible.

"Misaki? Misaki!" I call out to her and gently touch her face. Under my touch, the colour seems to return to her.

Slowly, she opens her eyes and looks at me.

"Itachi? Where are we?" She asks me.

"It seems you also had some unfinished business and couldn't let go just yet. I wanted to hold on for a while here but I never thought I'd get to see _you_ here so soon."

"Oh, I thought I was on my way to see Kakashi…" She whispers. So she knows Kakashi has died before her and probably was looking forward to reuniting with him.

"Kakashi, huh? I see… I'm glad you found someone who could make you happy." I tell her. I'm not surprised, under the lazy façade that Kakashi projects out to the world, I know that he is a _good_ man. I am happy for her.

Misaki looks down at the floor, she seems shy about me knowing about them. It's not like I expected her to not find love after me. I'd be surprised if that didn't happen.

"Well, since you're here. Will you tell me your story?" I ask her to keep her mind out of the subject. "I'd like to know all about you and our son."

Misaki's eyes light up and then she tells me all about what happened since I left. The pregnancy, the Hokage's unconditional support, leaving Tetsuya in the Orphanage but still keeping an eye on him and raising him secretly, her ANBU missions, finding an animal affiliation and talking about love with Jiraiya. The fact that she had been thinking about me, even after what I did, fills me with happiness. But I'm glad Jiraiya helped her open her eyes to the fact that she had to let go and enjoy life to be happy.

"Jiraiya was quite a wise man." I say when she finishes telling me her story. She has accomplished so much even though her journey had been gruelling. Most of it had been like that because of me.

"I'm so-" I begin to say but Misaki places her fingers over my lips. She won't let me apologise properly.

"There's nothing to forgive, Itachi. I always wanted to ask you why you went after such harsh measures but now I know you did what you thought was best."

"I guess I did. I couldn't find a better solution at the time. If I had known about Tetsuya earlier..." I look to to the side but Misaki places her index finger on my jaw and turns my face back to her. We smile at each other.

"Thank you for telling me your story, Misaki. And thank you for keeping me in your thoughts all this time, I never stopped thinking of you."

An unexpected green beam of light hits her chest and then covers her whole body when she stands up.

"What's going on?" She asks.

"It seems that it was too soon for you after all. There must be something you must still do." I reply.

"Itachi…" Misaki says as torment clouds her eyes.

"I'm glad I got to see you one more time. When I left Sasuke, he was still resenting me, I should've told him the truth from the beginning, seeing that he found out later anyway, but I'm pleased to know you've forgiven me." I smile the crooked smile that I know she loves so much.

"Things didn't go the way you wanted though that's not what's going to stay with me. I will treasure all the happiness and love you gave me, and I will always remember you when I look at our son's handsome face." She tells me.

"Thank you, Misaki. Until next time." There's a throbbing pain in my chest that I hope she doesn't notice.

The light blinds her momentarily, forcing her to close her eyes. And just like that, Misaki is gone. The next time she'd open her eyes would be back in the living world.

From this dimension, I watch her return to Kakashi. But I also watch the beginning of the Fourth Great War that Tobi has initiated.

Luckily, Kabuto brings me back to the living world as a reincarnation and I'm able to see my brother once more while I save the world from the other reincarnations that were winning against the alliance of the countries.

After undoing Kabuto's jutsu, I'm finally free to move on but before I go, I tell him about Misaki and Tetsuya, my family and his, whom he has to take care of for me.

I let my brother know that I will love him always. And in my mind I whisper my feelings to Misaki, hoping that they'd reach her somehow.

 _Misaki. I will too, love you always._

Now it's my time to let go and finally reunite with my parents.

Misaki opened her eyes. She awoke from a very intense dream where her memories of her past with Itachi had come back to her. Wherever Itachi was now, she knew he'd be happy and with his parents.

All the years that they spent together will stay forever with her. The love, the happiness, the sadness and the rest of the roller coaster of emotions were part of who she was.

She had discovered love with Itachi, she had learnt the true essence of a shinobi and, thanks to him, she had become a strong kunoichi like she had dreamt to be since she was five. And most importantly, Itachi had given her Tetsuya.

She smiled and got up from her bed. Today was a special day. It was her wedding day.

 _Itachi. I will never forget you. You'll always have a place in my heart._

 ** _THE END_**

* * *

 **NOTE:** Thanks so much for reading guys! Hope you enjoyed this short story and keep an eye for Misaki part 3 which is coming soon!

Ja ne

Misa xx


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